Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You

by Sonia Sotomayor, Rafael López (Illustrator)

Feeling different, especially as a kid, can be tough. But in the same way that different types of plants and flowers make a garden more beautiful and enjoyable, different types of people make our world more vibrant and wonderful.

In Just Ask, United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor celebrates the different abilities kids (and people of all ages) have. Using her own experience as a child who was diagnosed with diabetes, Justice Sotomayor writes about children with all sorts of challenges—and looks at the special powers those kids have as well. As the kids work together to build a community garden, asking questions of each other along the way, this book encourages readers to do the same: When we come across someone who is different from us but we're not sure why, all we have to do is Just Ask.

Genres: Picture Books, Disability, Childrens, Nonfiction, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Cultural

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 3, 2019

About the author

Sonia Sotomayor, J.D. (Yale Law School, 1979; B.A., Princeton University, 1976), is the 99th Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, nominated by President Barack Obama to fill the seat of the retiring Justice David Souter and taking office August 8, 2009.

Previously, she served as editor of the Yale Law Review, and as Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney's Office from 1979–1984. She then litigated international commercial matters in New York City at Pavia & Harcourt, where she served as an associate and then partner, 1984–1992. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated her to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, and she served in that role from 1992–1998. She served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1998–2009.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like that our Supreme Court Justice wrote this book. Awesome. It’s a very good book too. I didn’t know this, but Sonia has diabetes. She had it as a kid and learned that people are curious, but don’t always ask. This is a longer book, but she is planting a garden with many varieties of plants and there are lots of kids and each one is different like the plants. She explains Asthma - that’s me as a kid, and ADHD, nut allergies, autism, downs, blindness, deafness and several other challenges people face and ways they deal with it. Everyone is different and has something to contribute.

This is a great story. I was amazed how well done this was. I highly recommend it for any kid curious what other kids my be doing to take care of themselves, like sticking themselves with needles.

The nephew was bored with this one. He did find a few things interesting and he was like, oh, that’s why a friend does that, but he still found the book dull. He is a man of action. I would say he was the ADHD one, possibly. He gave this book 2 stars, but he learned something in it.

[Kate♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5stars

2022;
a staple for the beginning of the school year for me now! perfect book to ease them into ELA:)

2021;
I wouldn't normally review a children's picture book on my Goodreads but I really wanted to shout out this book. I read this with my fifth grade special education students and they absolutely loved it. They were really able to connect to these characters and it sparked some incredible conversations about disability. My kids are older and they are also all very self-aware of their own disabilities. This book gave them all an opportunity to talk about themselves but also hear from their peers and learn more about each other. I think this book should be a staple for elementary School classrooms.

[Abby Johnson]

I really like this book as a tool for teachers to open a discussion about diversity and different abilities. Sonia Sotomayor was diagnosed with diabetes as a child and often noticed other kids who were uncomfortable when she had to check her blood sugar or give herself a shot. She wished they would just ask questions instead of being afraid to talk to her or approach her. In this book, she profiles many fictional kids with different disabilities such as diabetes, asthma, autism, Down syndrome, food allergies, and more as they all work together planting a garden. Each spread ends with a question that any young reader could relate to and it ties into the next kid's spread, giving the book an overall connectedness. Just like a garden would be boring if it only grew one type of vegetable, the world would be boring if all people were the same.

While it's maybe a little wordy and long for a readaloud, I think it's done that way in order to include as many diverse kids as possible. I especially appreciate that in a couple of spreads, Sotomayor emphasizes that kids with the same disabilities may use different tools or present differently (blindness and autism are the conditions represented that way in the book). She also emphasizes that some kids may not be ready to answer questions or talk about their disabilities and that's okay, too.

As always, Rafael Lopez's illustrations are colorful and energetic, a perfect fit for the upbeat tone of this book.

Caveat here: I am reading this book as a non-disabled person and I may not have the expertise to evaluate how appropriate or accurate the text is.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful picture book about the courage children show in coping with and then outshining their differing abilities. As the niece of a beloved uncle who was paralyzed at age fifteen, I so appreciate books like this. They remind me of how little children would stare at his wheelchair (which I grew up thinking of as a normal part of life), and how he would go out of his way to talk with them, engage them, and make them see that he was just like you or me - but with one, small difference that didn't affect his humanity in the slightest. The children in this book, with their differences - everything from nut allergies to ADHD to dyslexia to asthma, and many others - perfectly illustrate this concept. They show the reader how they are differently abled, demonstrate the frustrations and anxieties those challenges bring to their lives, but then follow up with actions, strengths, positive results, and learning opportunities. Justice Sotomayor wrote this book in part because of of her struggles with juvenile diabetes. She does a beautiful job of teaching us how "all the ways we are different make our neighborhood - our whole world really - more interesting and fun." The remarkable illustrations, by Rafael López, are a colorful, integral part of their stories.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a thought-provoking post about this book over on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ce5Bmnr.... One of the issues is the avoidance of the term disability and another is the involvement of Autism Speaks. I think this book has value as a conversation starter around the many ways people identify themselves and about the appropriateness of asking people about differences we may notice.

[donna backshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great celebration of diversity!

I think this is the kind of book best read to a classroom of younger children, or perhaps to a group at a library. It explains a variety of differences or abilities, then inspires discussion about each one. What makes you unique? I can see hands going up in every group, with a kid (perhaps for the first time) eager to have something to share.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being different doesn't mean it has to be difficult. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sontomayor does an outstanding job reminding us all to be kind, be strong, and embrace those who are different.

[Marzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Years ago, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who has Type 1 Diabetes, was giving herself an injection of insulin in a ladies room. When she was done, another woman there commented to her friend that Sotomayor was a drug addict. Sotomayor politely set her straight and said "if you don't know why someone is doing something, just ask." This event stayed with Sotomayor and became the seed of this children's picture book about differences. Using the analogy of a garden (what if all the plants in our garden were all the same?) Sotomayor points out all the ways in which the differences among people make the garden of our world a richer place. She also encourages children that don't understand why another child or person seems different to (politely, of course) just ask. You could ask the other child, or if they can't explain, ask a teacher or a parent. Understanding differences helps us respect those differences and maybe even make a new friend, or be more helpful to that friend. If you understand about another child's asthma and you've been running around the playground all afternoon and they start wheezing, maybe you can offer to get their inhaler out of their backpack. Or maybe you can learn some ASL to talk with your friend, which is really learning a whole other language! Sotomayor says all of these things are possible once you have just asked.

This is a beautiful picture book.

Este libro también está disponible en una edición en español titulada ¡Solo Pregunta!

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was dissatisfied by this book. It doesn’t flow smoothly and is too long to keep the younger crowd’s attention. On the other hand, more books affirming that a kid is more than their disability are needed. I found the illustrations nice and bright but a bit like the text, not a smooth continuation from page to page. I suspect a background of writing briefs may not be the best background for writing picture books which need quite a different style of writing. This is getting 4 stars because of the need for such books but is more of 3.5 stars in reality. Recommended where needed. Addendum. Perhaps I'm cranky (I am, stipulated) but I decided this really isn't worth more than 3 stars. Yes, we need more on this subject, but it still is only an ok book.

[The Library Lady · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why am I panning this book?
I mean, I should LOVE it. It's by a woman (and fellow Bronxite) whom I admire! It's got gorgeous art, AND that art is by a Latino illustrator! It's got a wonderful message about being proud of yourself! It's all about "differently abled" people--did I get that jargon right?

So, again, why am I panning it?

Because it is wordy--way too wordy unless you're reading it to older kids. It is preachy. It is mawkish.

It is simply a bad, bad, BAD book! Well intentioned, but bad.


It will sell because of the name on it. But in the intelligent words of one of our circulation staff "Being famous doesn't make you qualified to write children's books."

And thank the gods that after reading this, and being, in the immortal words of "Bloom County" resident Binkley, "appalled with 2 Ps", I discovered that it was here on reserve for some nice patron, and that I hadn't wasted any of my teeny tiny book budget on this waste of a tree.


And if you insist on reading it save your money. Borrow a copy, because I know that all those lovely, clueless young librarians out there who will correct "Latino" to "Latinx" will be buying copies for their libraries.

[Ness · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gosh, I wanted to like this book, but this book has a super ableist narrative. Just say disabled. Just say disabled. Just say disabled.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
Beautiful illustrations and I love all the disabilities shown in the story and how they come together. My only issue is that each person comments on their ability, what they like, and how they cope with the day, but not on how they contribute to the garden, which is kind of the point of the story. There’s a bit on the front jacket explaining how a kid contributes. For instance, one kid paints flowers on the fence, but not all of the kids get that explanation. However, the pictures show what they are doing with the garden, but not explaining it. I would have loved them to call it out.

With that, I love the message and perfect for our work school book fundraiser.

[Christina/ The Blog for Teachers, Readers, & Life! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ages: 4-9

Just Ask! was written by Sonia Sotomayer who is also the first Latina Supreme Court Justice.
In this inclusive book, she illustrates how some kids feel different because of the diverse medical challenges they face. Sotomayor reveals her own challenges being diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes as a child.

She sends a heartfelt message to kids who are dealing with medical issues, and others that are curious but afraid to ask. I love the fact that she talks about medical challenges you can and cannot see.
Sotomayer ask the children readers some poignant questions associated with the medical issues presented in this book.
Find more children's books that support diversity and tolerance in my post https://www.teacher-librarian-forlife...

[Hailed P-T · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Solo pregunta!es una tierna historia que refleja la diversidad y fue escrita por Sonia Sotomayor. Ella fue juez del Tribunal Supremo de Estados Unidos y fue inspirada por su propia experiencia tras haber sido diagnosticada de diabetes durante su infancia. Los niños de esta historia utilizan sus habilidades y fortalezas para trabajar juntos y aprender los unos de los otros. Este libro de ficción tiene elementos e información real. El cuento es contado en primera persona narrativa. La autora se introduce a ella misma y describe sus experiencias de niña. Sucesivamente, otros niños se introducen a sí mismos y hablan de sus diferencias, sus habilidades, sus fortalezas y sus retos. El libro incluye una carta a los lectores al principio del libro. Tiene ilustraciones coloridas que apoyan su interpretación. Tambien incluye contenido que recurre a la curiosidad intelectual y a las emociones de los niños. Los temas mensionados pueden no formar parte de las experiencias inmediatas de todos los niños. Ganador del premio Schneider Family Book Award.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all. Literally. And the cover art and subsequent art is a beautiful companion to the words that lie within. Having read her adult and middle grade adaptation, I knew her story with diabetes and needing insulin injections so using that as the backbone to this story-- saying it's okay to ask when something is different than you know because then you'll learn about it and from it.

Which is a nice message especially when conversations around pronouns are about asking if you don't know, this ties in to disability and differences and it empowers the person too to share their stories.

The message makes the story and the illustrations are icing on the cake.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be Different! Be Brave! Be You!

Explaining neurological and physical ability/disability to kids can be challenging...not with this book's help though.
Sonia and her friends are striving to plant a garden. Each child presents what makes them different, even if others don't always understand what that means.
The book has first person perspectives of being blind, hearing impaired, dyslexic, diabetic, asthmatic, wheelchair bound, differing degrees of autism, speech impediments and stuttering, Tourette's syndrome, ADHD, food allergies, and Down Syndrome.

I really enjoyed the questions each kid asks the reader after they explain a bit about what their ability/disability is and how that makes them unique. For instance, Anh, the girl with the stutter, asks "Do you ever wonder if people understand you?"

While I will NEVER be an expert on any of these young people's unique situations, this book really illuminates it, both with Rafael Lopez's colorful diversified illustrations and Sonia Sotomayor's clear-cut writing.

Ask questions. You never know what you may learn and remember that Each of us, like a Garden, grows in our own way.

A perfect read aloud for story time, families and general discussion!

[Dinah Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent story of inclusion that compares a community garden to children. Just as some plants are hardy and others are fragile, so are children.
Kids come in all varieties and they all deserve to be planted in firm foundations, nourished, and encouraged to grow.

“And just like all these plants, each of us has unique powers to share with the world and make it more interesting and richer.”

[Tyler Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ce5Bmnr...

I wish I had seen that before I read it. I think it has good intentions, but misses the mark. And Autism Speaks is a hate group (though many are unaware).

[Annalise Kraines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colorful, warm, and compassionate, discusses disabilities, health differences, and learning disabilities! I love the metaphor of a garden used here.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I read this book I did not know Sonia Sotomayor has diabetes. But this book is so much more than that. It’s all about helping kids understand other kids’ differences and abilities. Fantastic and a must read.

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I love this book so much. As a parent of a physical disabled child, this is the book I wish everyone would read to kids. In our experience, it is much better for someone to say why do you have a big shoe instead of the stares, the sad looks, the non-looks, the laughs (oh yes, mostly teenagers). Just ask. With that said, I know that is not the experience for everyone, however I think for the majority, people would rather you ask so they can understand.
Each page in the book features a child with a disability. The disability is quickly explained in a way that makes sense to a young reader. The child ends the page asking a question that may or may not relate to other kids.

* edited - after reading other reviews, I had not noticed the book does not use the word "disability". It does make it seem like despite encouraging others to ask about what makes them different, using the word disability is wrong or bad. I've had this conversation with my child and she said she would rather be called a physically disabled girl (putting the disability first), than a girl with a disability. Without using the word disabled, it gives the message that there is something wrong. I think I will still use the book, there is a great positive message about asking and explaining the disability, however I would use the word when discussing it with students.

[Lisa RV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent picture book with gorgeous illustrations that I read for my Children's Literature class! The theme is that of celebrating our differences and seeing what strengths come with these differences, rather than seeing them as weaknesses. It strives to “normalize” special needs so that children reading can feel comfortable expressing their curiosity about other kids that may look or act different. Asset-based thinking rather than deficit-based thinking.

This book is written by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and reflects her own experiences growing up with diabetes and how she wished that those around would just ask! about her condition. I enjoyed reading how each child described their differences in simple, relatable ways that other children would easily understand. Because I have a daughter who has dwarfism, an intellectual disability, and autism, I made a personal connection to this book. I'm used to people staring at her when we are in public. Luckily, she is not aware of their staring; she is not aware of her differences. I am actually thankful for her ignorance as it would be much harder for her if she were aware. It used to embarrass me but I have learned that their curiosity is natural. It's actually quite humorous when my daughter says "Hi!" to those staring because she is a beautiful soul and thinks that everyone is her friend!

[Kyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book on the American Library Association on the Schneider Family Book Award. This book won the 2020 award for Young Children Winner. I listened to this book as a read-aloud on Youtube. The reader was great at annunciating all of the words clearly and the video was only the book and illustrations.

This book starts off with Sonia and her class going to plant a garden. On each page, the reader is introduced to a new member of Sonia’s class who has another disability. They introduce themself, say what disability they have and they discuss some characteristics of themself as well. They then relate themself to the reader and ask them a question.

This story does really well at putting the words in common terminology that students would be able to understand. I think this would be a great read-aloud for grades K-4 because it has larger words and a lot of words on each page. It also encourages the students to ask questions about students with disabilities to help understand them more.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

FABULOUS!

I had no idea that Sonia Sotomayor was a Type 1 diabetic until recently. And now here she has written a book that celebrates so many differences, from diabetes, to deafness, to Tourette's, autism, allergies, the list goes on...AND how ALL humans are connected and share experiences. Her goal was for kids who might feel or be treated as different to see themselves in a book in a positive light, and to see all differences celebrated as they should be. Well done!

Also note: pretty sure this book is in the dyslexic font, which may be easier for some people with dyslexia to read, since each letter is designed to look unique from all others and therefore easier to identify. Love it!

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in community means we need to appreciate the ways everyone is special and how that diversity makes our world more fun and interesting. Drawing on her own experiences growing up with diabetes, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has written this gorgeously illustrated picture book describing a group of friends planting a garden. Just like all of the plants in the garden are different, all of the children are also unique. This would be a good book to share with young readers as a way to start a conversation about how those that are differently abled can be brought into community with others and how everyone benefits from these relationships.

[Jane Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way that the differences of the children in this story have are compared to the differences seen in a garden. Thousands of plants bloom together, but every flower, every berry, and every leaf is different. Each has a different smell, different color, different shape, and different purpose. Some flowers need lots of sunlight; others thrive in the shade. Some have to be trimmed regularly, while others are better left alone.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book as a conversation starter for my five year old son who is autistic. It would be wonderful for any child to read, but especially those who have differences that other children might notice and ask about. This book has characters with food allergies, ADHD, downs syndrome, Tourette's, blindness, dyslexia, deafness, a wheelchair, and diabetes. It is beautifully written and illustrated and compares our different abilities to the many varieties of plants in a garden.

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book for so many reasons! 1. The representation of different abilities 2. The representation of different ethnicities 3. The encouragement to just ask about what something is and why something is different. Too often adults hush children when they ask about why something is the way it is, but really, that just perpetuates the taboo and different-ness of autism, diabetes, asthma, etc. Asking questions is how we learn to accept differences... just do it in a loving way!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does an amazing job of how you can just ask and how much life is easier when you just ask. Also, the diversity of the book. It talks about all types of things from how blind people can have conversations to down syndrome and how they grow in different ways. It’s brief but answers simple question of how?

[Shannon (That's So Poe) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a lovely picture book which focused on all sorts of different disabilities and brought up questions for kids to reflect on to better understand the experiences of others. The artwork was also beautiful!