Each page readers flip through in teen author Ava K. Perlin’s children’s book, One in a Millieon, emphasizes themes of curiosity, inclusion, kindness, and advocacy through storytelling in rhyme schemes.
The semi-autobiographical story follows two sisters. The younger one, eponymously named Millie, has Down syndrome, as well as a passion for song and dance. Directly inspired by Perlin’s experience as an older sibling, the book’s overall message is summarized by its concluding line: “No need to change or try to fit in, my sister is one in a million.”
“Millie, very much a non-fiction element of the book, really does love to sing and dance,” Ava, 17, says of her sister, who is three years younger. “Her favorites are Broadway—Hairspray, Mamma Mia!—and Taylor Swift. She loves to watch movie musicals and learn the dances from them. And although I’m not a huge singer or dancer, it really has the effect on people that makes you want to join in and just have as much fun.”
“People who don’t know Millie well probably don’t realize how funny of a kid she is,” adds Ava’s dad, Ryan Perlin. “Every day, Millie will say something that just has us all in tears of laughter because we didn’t expect it. But she also has an innate emotional EQ. When I walk in the door at the end of the day, she can sense immediately what my day’s been like. People with developmental disabilities [often] get put into a particular box. People assume they know what they are like, or assume that they’re not capable of doing X, Y, or Z, when the reality is their personality is as rich and diverse as everybody else’s.”
A rising senior at Garrison Forest School (GFS) in Owings Mills, Ava originally wrote the story for a school project. After it was met with a heartwarming response, she later self-published and released it for purchase on Amazon with encouragement from her teachers.
“The plan for this book when Ava wrote it wasn’t to publish it,” explains Ava’s mom, Lauren Perlin. “I think that changed the day that Ava read it to the Lower School at Garrison Forest. Teachers and parents in the room were interested in purchasing a copy. For us, seeing Ava talk to people who really think this message is valuable was probably one of the proudest moments.”
While its message is relatable to anyone, Ava says the target audience is youth, hoping that it can teach lessons of practicing fairness regardless of ability.
“It describes situations that are applicable to all people,” Ava says. “Some people have told me that they plan to share this with their kids or their grandkids, or give it as a baby shower gift, because they think that this is something that younger generations need to learn at very young age.”
Garrison Forest’s Passion Project, the assignment for which Ava created the book, “is designed to help students dig deeper into a topic of interest for them—to share a story that is personal, meaningful, and helpful to others,” explains GFS Director of Communications Shelly Placek, who expressed school-wide pride in Ava’s work. With the approval of GFS English teacher Kristen Miller, Ava wrote the story and prompted the DALL-E AI software to generate customized illustrations.
Those close to Ava weren’t surprised that she chose to write about Millie for her Passion Project, as she’s long been an advocate for inclusivity. When she was in middle school, she and Millie worked together as student ambassadors and presenters for the Special Olympics’ Spread the Word campaign, which stands up against bullying and derogatory language toward individuals impacted by intellectual disabilities.
“As they’ve gotten older, Ava has become more aware of the way Millie gets treated in the world, and the way people with developmental disabilities are treated in general,” says Ryan. “So, I think she’s become more protective, but also felt the responsibility to advocate for Millie [and others.]”
Though Ava plans to continue learning more about Down syndrome in college, she doesn’t think she’ll pursue a writing career. Instead, she’s intrigued to study the condition through mechanical engineering in a genetics context.
“This book was a very helpful outlet in terms of understanding the social world of Down syndrome, but I’m interested in the scientific world,” she says.
She’s off to an impressive start. This past semester, Ava worked as a Johns Hopkins research intern under a PhD student creating devices that use genetic markers to test for infectious diseases and cancers.
“She’s the kind of person who wants to make sure she understands things broadly, not become an expert in one thing,” Ryan adds.
One of Ava’s mentors—a Harvard Medical School doctor who led a workshop for those who have family members living with Down syndrome, which Ava attended as a kid—decided to help distribute One in a Millieon. The printed story has now found its way into doctor’s offices, local classrooms, Baltimore County Public Libraries, and Amazon shoppers’ collections. The latter features the work as a best seller in its Teaching Students with Developmental & Intellectual Disabilities and Inclusive Education Methods categories.
Lauren says one of the most moving moments along this journey came when she received an email from the Baltimore County Public Library letting the Perlins know that One in a Millieon was going to be added to its shelves. Ultimately, she’s proud that the book can serve as a celebration of family.
“Ava and Millie have always been very close. We have three daughters, and they’re all very close,” she says. “Millie has always known that her sisters are her second biggest, next to Ryan and me, supporters in life. She’s really lucky to have two really strong sisters that support, defend, and love unconditionally.”