How Is Icy Sparks Growing Up With Her Undiagnosed Illness

Icy Sparks is a powerful story about a young, orphaned girl struggling with Tourette Syndrome during the 1950s. Icy is raised by her grandparents and, at a young age, notices that there is something very different about her. She is not sure what it is, but it has caused her to encounter random croaks, spasms, and even episodes of yelling bad words she has never heard. As a ten-year-old outsider in a close-knit community, the strong and lovely Icy Sparks pushes through the journey of growing up with her undiagnosed illness of Tourette Syndrome. Early in the book, Icy knows that she is different, but she is hoping for change. She wants to be accepted and loved. “ When I was old enough, I wanted girlfriends who’d ask me to parties and boyfriends

Since nobody knows exactly what is going on with Icy, she has to be there for a while so that the doctors can study her behavior. Icy has to miss Christmas at home with her family, and she falls into depression for a short period of time. Although, with the strength deep down inside of Icy, and the help from Icy’s friend new friend Maizy, she gets out of the hospital, assuming she is now ready to take on the world. She is still undiagnosed, but she has learned small tactics to help her cope with the spasms and jerks she

She can barely make encounters with people from her old school at the grocery store. She croaks, goes crazy, and has to be escorted out. Not understanding she has a disorder, Icy sees herself as living a double life.“I reckon I got a touch of pokeweed inside me, the poison parts, the roots and the berries...This poison builds up, gets stronger and stronger, until it has to get out. If it don’t, it’ll eat me up. It’ll eat away my good parts, the leaves and stems, and only the bad parts will be left... So I have to get this poison out. A jerk here. A croak there. A cuss word. A nasty thought. Do you understand?” (122) Comparing herself to pokeweed, Icy shares her constant battle of good vs. evil. She is hoping for speedy improvement, so that she can feel like a normal kid