"Judy has never spoken a word. We wonder if she will
ever talk. The doctors say that she is slow and will not
get better, but they don't know Judy like I do. She is perfect
just the way she is. She knows things that no one else
knows and sees the world in way that I never will."
Joyce Scott shares the story of her life with her twin sister, Judy. As children they are extremely close, and spend their days together. Enrolment in kindergarten brings a big change. The family learns that Judy has a weakened heart, associated with Down Syndrome. The doctors are not hopeful; they say she will not 'get better'. To help Judy learn to speak, she is sent away to school. Joyce's world is dramatically changed. Judy lives in a 'horrible gray place' until she is an adult.
Joyce's many visits to see her sister leave her sad and concerned. Finally, after living far from her beloved sister for too long, she begins to make plans to have her move to California from Ohio. Only then does she find out Judy is deaf. After spending time together at home, Joyce realizes Judy needs more. She needs a place where she can learn and be with others. They find the Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland. Judy spends five days a week there. The rest of the story is ever hopeful and inspiring..
The three collaborators work wonderfully together to tell this family story. Ms. Scott shares the life she lived with and without her twin, the agony of their separation, and the joy be found in a new artistic passion. Melissa Sweet adds depth to the story with quiet telling images from the sisters' early years, and then the colorful joy found in Judy's art.
Back matter is important, and plentiful: a note about the Creative Growth Art Center, information about Down Syndrome, a timeline, an author's note, an illustrator's note, sources and organizations. Examples of Judy's fibre art sculptures, which made her famous following her death, are included.
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