Icy Sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio

Icy Sparks is the tale of a young girl growing up in 1950s rural Kentucky and experiencing "secrets" which will turn out to be Tourette's Syndrome once she is older and a name is attached to the disorder.

As a first hand account of Tourette's, which is what I was really interested in, this couldn't been better. The opening of the story, through when Icy first begins experiencing the tics, satisfied that description for me. I kept expecting it to delve more into that experience for her, but I was disappointed in that.

"Such visual disorder disturbed the silence in the room and upset my mind."

The treatment of this child and many of the others she encounters was appalling. It made me eternally grateful that my children are not growing up in the 1950s. It made me even more grateful for the amazing team of Special Education teachers I have met during my years in schools. The people in this book are not representative of the people who choose to work with children who have disorders, in my opinion.

I was disappointed in this ending. But the small glimpse into Icy's mind was worth a little. Three smiles.