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Just Help!: How to Build a Better World
From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Just Ask! comes a fun and meaningful story about making the world--and your community--better, one action at a time, that asks the question: Who will you help today?
Every night when Sonia goes to bed, Mami asks her the same question: How did you help today? And since Sonia wants to help her community, just like her Mami does, she always makes sure she has a good answer to Mami's question.
In a story inspired by her own family's desire to help others, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor takes young readers on a journey through a neighborhood where kids and adults, activists and bus drivers, friends and strangers all help one another to build a better world for themselves and their community.
With art by award-winning illustrator Angela Dominguez, this book shows how we can all help make the world a better place each and every day.
Every night when Sonia goes to bed, Mami asks her the same question: How did you help today? And since Sonia wants to help her community, just like her Mami does, she always makes sure she has a good answer to Mami's question.
In a story inspired by her own family's desire to help others, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor takes young readers on a journey through a neighborhood where kids and adults, activists and bus drivers, friends and strangers all help one another to build a better world for themselves and their community.
With art by award-winning illustrator Angela Dominguez, this book shows how we can all help make the world a better place each and every day.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 25, 2022
9 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
About the author
Sonia Sotomayor
31 books278 followersSonia 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
August 8, 2022
Wonderful book about civic engagement by Justice Sotomayor. The 'ripple effect' of small acts of community involvement is written in an easy to understand way so that small children will be motivated to become more engaged in helping to better their their neighborhood by becoming involved in issues that effect them at the local level.
December 22, 2022
You might think this is just another book reminding kids to help out, but it is so much more. This book weaves together a whole community as they each help each other and pay the help forward. Just Help!: How to Build a Better World is truly inspiring, and will certainly light a bulb of social responsibility in every child (and adult) who reads it.
January 31, 2022
Loved this book inspired by Sonia Sotomayor’s mother who asked her daughter nightly, “How did you help today? Lots of good ways for kids to build a better world and cute relatable pictures for ages 4 to 12.
April 30, 2022
A little disappointing since I loved Just Ask and I'm also a big fan of Angela Dominguez. The story shows the domino effect when Sonia wants to have a good answer to her mother's daily question, "How did you help today?" and her act inspires a classmate. It's a good concept, but a little wordy and grand. If it were showing a lot of small things that kids did, it would make a bit more sense, but cleaning up an entire park, starting a recycling program, having a perfect shirt to give to a friend - oh, yeah, and it's also election day - strained credulity. Not that I don't think kids could do those things, but all of it in one day? Maybe one big thing would have worked. There was a lot of text, which makes the book exclusively for elementary age kids (whereas Just Ask was accessible to a much wider age range.) Dominguez's illustrations were sweet and did a good job accompanying the text.
February 14, 2022
“Every day, you can make a difference by helping someone. Each time you do, you become part of something bigger than yourself.” SONIA SOTOMAYOR
"Just Help! How to Build a Better World” is a children’s picture book authored by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The story centers around a young girl whose mother encourages to help someone every day. Throughout the story we see a diverse community of friends of the main character, Sonia, helping others in big and small ways. From children sharing their seat on the bus, to a school service project making treat boxes for servicemen and women, to children recycling, to donating clothing, to voting. The book sends a simple yet strong message about the importance of helping others and being an active part of your community in order to make the world a better place.
According to Sotomayor, the story is based on her mother’s commitment of service to others and the encouragement that she gave to both Sonia and her brother to do the same. Beautifully illustrated by Angela Dominguez. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For more book reviews and recommendations follow me at #EmptyNestReader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #JustHelp #SoniaSotomayor #AngelaDominguez #childrenspicturebook #PhilomelBooks #PenguinRandomHouse #FebruaryReads #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #kitlit #picturebook #bookrecommendations #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ChildrensBooksofInstagram #ReadAloudBooks
"Just Help! How to Build a Better World” is a children’s picture book authored by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The story centers around a young girl whose mother encourages to help someone every day. Throughout the story we see a diverse community of friends of the main character, Sonia, helping others in big and small ways. From children sharing their seat on the bus, to a school service project making treat boxes for servicemen and women, to children recycling, to donating clothing, to voting. The book sends a simple yet strong message about the importance of helping others and being an active part of your community in order to make the world a better place.
According to Sotomayor, the story is based on her mother’s commitment of service to others and the encouragement that she gave to both Sonia and her brother to do the same. Beautifully illustrated by Angela Dominguez. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For more book reviews and recommendations follow me at #EmptyNestReader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #JustHelp #SoniaSotomayor #AngelaDominguez #childrenspicturebook #PhilomelBooks #PenguinRandomHouse #FebruaryReads #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #kitlit #picturebook #bookrecommendations #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ChildrensBooksofInstagram #ReadAloudBooks
August 22, 2022
Shows lots of good ways we all can make a difference.
June 25, 2024
I love you, Sonia Sotomayor!
January 28, 2022
An amazing and inspiring book!
Thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted audio copy
Thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted audio copy
December 13, 2022
“How will you help today?” This book discusses ways we can help others and others help our community.
January 13, 2022
I received an electronic ARC from Philomel Books through Edelweiss+.
Justice Sotomayor shares memories from her childhood. Her mother challenged her to see how she could help each day. Readers see how the community was connected as each person stepped up to help in a variety of ways. The illustrations capture the energy and joy involved in giving to others. Terrific book to start dialogue in families and classrooms on ways to help others.
Justice Sotomayor shares memories from her childhood. Her mother challenged her to see how she could help each day. Readers see how the community was connected as each person stepped up to help in a variety of ways. The illustrations capture the energy and joy involved in giving to others. Terrific book to start dialogue in families and classrooms on ways to help others.
February 19, 2022
So I think I had really high expectations for this book since I loved Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You so much. While this was still a good book, I didn't love it and I think my high expectations had something to do with that since it just fell short.
The book follows children doing helpful things like making care packages for soldiers, cleaning up a park, helping people vote, and more. It could definitely be a great story to inspire people to help in their communities and also to just notice how others are helping. Reminds me a bit of that Mr. Rogers's quote "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"
The book follows children doing helpful things like making care packages for soldiers, cleaning up a park, helping people vote, and more. It could definitely be a great story to inspire people to help in their communities and also to just notice how others are helping. Reminds me a bit of that Mr. Rogers's quote "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"
April 17, 2023
Each morning, Sonia's mother asks her, "How will you help today?" Each day, Sonia is sure to do something to help someone get an answer to her mother's question. She sends care packages to soldiers overseas, recycles plastic bags, cleans up the local park, donates toys, and does so much more. I love that the book includes a wide variety of students and the things that they are passionate about. It shows the reader that we are all different in our own way. Reading this book to children may even help them find a cause they are passionate about. This would also be a great book to read to children to educate them on voting. You could also compare the community aspect brought up in this book to your own classroom community. By telling students that they should create a classroom community that is "safer, cleaner, wiser, healthier, and kinder."
March 2, 2025
This book is about a group of young kids who are learning and practicing ways to help their community and the world in general. They do this through exploring acts of service, helping jobs, voting, and just being kind. There was a lot of great representation in this book which I really enjoyed. I would use this book as a read aloud in my classroom and after we would discuss ways we can help in our community, school, and world. After we would choose one in each category and do one each month. After each activity we would debrief how we felt after helping and how we saw it impact others. We would also have a kindness challenge each week to do atleast two kind things in a week and we would share them at the end of the week.
April 3, 2022
“How will you help today?”
Every morning, Sonia is greeted by her Mami with this question and she always ponders how to answer her Mami. This particular day, Sonia is taking things to school for care packages to send to American soldiers who are overseas. Throughout the rest of the day, Sonia sees other people do things, big and small, that make a difference to others. “It tied Sonia to everyone around her, even people she did not know, each one inspiring the next, knitting together a community that was safer, cleaner, wiser, healthier, and kinder.”
A great story about community and the impact of a single person to help others. A definite addition to my school library.
Every morning, Sonia is greeted by her Mami with this question and she always ponders how to answer her Mami. This particular day, Sonia is taking things to school for care packages to send to American soldiers who are overseas. Throughout the rest of the day, Sonia sees other people do things, big and small, that make a difference to others. “It tied Sonia to everyone around her, even people she did not know, each one inspiring the next, knitting together a community that was safer, cleaner, wiser, healthier, and kinder.”
A great story about community and the impact of a single person to help others. A definite addition to my school library.
January 24, 2024
This book was really nice. The mother asks "?Como seras de ayuda hoy? // How did you help today?" every day which inspires her daughter to do something good every day.
Each act of service leads to another act of service. Her actions and her friends' actions are all influenced in this way because they are constantly thinking of others and making the world better - how they can improve their surroundings, the mood of people around them, etc. The daughter is also appreciative of what others in the community are doing as well, not just on what she did or what was done for her.
Fabulous, fabulous story.
Highly recommend.
Each act of service leads to another act of service. Her actions and her friends' actions are all influenced in this way because they are constantly thinking of others and making the world better - how they can improve their surroundings, the mood of people around them, etc. The daughter is also appreciative of what others in the community are doing as well, not just on what she did or what was done for her.
Fabulous, fabulous story.
Highly recommend.
August 1, 2022
Cute book, not suprisingly! And I did enjoy it - I especially liked showing how one kid's helping hand led to another and another. But my kids (ages 11 and 8) felt it was a little over the top. I got the "Really?" look from them and my 11 year old said "I hate books like this." While I think hate was a bit too strong as she listened to the entire book without issue, she meant books that hit a message hard while potentially sacrificing or forcing the plot. And to her credit, I would agree that this one seemed to be more about the message than the story itself.
October 30, 2023
1. age range (K-3rd)
2. Sonia Sotomayor, a current Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, wrote another children's book, inspiring young readers. This one is about her community’s drive to help one another. From activists in their community to the children’s school bus drivers, they all had a passion for making the world a community better place for everyone to live, inspiring children to help out those in their own communities.
3. I chose this book because Sonia Sotomayor is the author that I chose for my author interview, so I wanted to include her children's book as well.
2. Sonia Sotomayor, a current Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, wrote another children's book, inspiring young readers. This one is about her community’s drive to help one another. From activists in their community to the children’s school bus drivers, they all had a passion for making the world a community better place for everyone to live, inspiring children to help out those in their own communities.
3. I chose this book because Sonia Sotomayor is the author that I chose for my author interview, so I wanted to include her children's book as well.
November 24, 2024
When she was a child, Sonia's mother would ask her, "How will you help today?" This question sets the tone for not just this picture book but for Sonia's life. The story starts with young Sonia bringing items to school for care packages for American soldiers overseas. She and her friends pack the boxes and gather plastic bags for recycling. As the day goes on, each activity leads to another, with volunteer opportunities at every step of the way, showing the reader how we can each make a difference.
May 4, 2022
Age: K-3rd grade
Activism: Community-based initiatives
Sonia always starts her day with a question from her mother: How will you help today? And so begins a snowball effect of seven children doing good in their community, from recycling plastic bags to save marine life, to cleaning up a park, to canvassing for an elected official. The interwoven blanket of Sonia's community creates a home that is "safer, cleaner, wiser, healthier, and kinder."
Activism: Community-based initiatives
Sonia always starts her day with a question from her mother: How will you help today? And so begins a snowball effect of seven children doing good in their community, from recycling plastic bags to save marine life, to cleaning up a park, to canvassing for an elected official. The interwoven blanket of Sonia's community creates a home that is "safer, cleaner, wiser, healthier, and kinder."
January 1, 2023
A great book that will teach children to find ways to help out in their community. It mentions care packages for soldiers, recycling plastic bags, cleaning up a park, donating toys to the hospital, helping spread the word about voting, and helping people in the community. It's a book that will help spread the joy of helping others and making a difference in our communities. I enjoyed seeing children get involved in their community. Everyone can enjoy this book.
February 21, 2022
Shows kids influencing each other for good.
Shows people helping each other and building community.
Written by Sonia Sotomayor, but not really political (it does talk about choosing to vote because it's your voice in the community and a family standing on a street corner lobbying people to vote for their candidate).
Shows people helping each other and building community.
Written by Sonia Sotomayor, but not really political (it does talk about choosing to vote because it's your voice in the community and a family standing on a street corner lobbying people to vote for their candidate).
May 10, 2022
Excellent.
A great combination of message combined with examples. The book depicts a day in the life of Sonia Sotomayor as a child and the ways she and her friends helped others throughout the day. The latter part of the day is Election Day. And a lovely close of "We all helped each other today."
A great combination of message combined with examples. The book depicts a day in the life of Sonia Sotomayor as a child and the ways she and her friends helped others throughout the day. The latter part of the day is Election Day. And a lovely close of "We all helped each other today."
May 3, 2023
This delightful tale of kids in a community doing small acts of kindness and finding ways to improve the world around them would be great for teaching early citizenship skills and lessons. I love how each small act sparks action from others and how that is compared to the knot together pieces of Sonia’s blanket.
June 18, 2024
The concept of doing small things to help each other is a great one, but this is a little over-the-top. The kids, in one day, make boxes for deployed soldiers, clean up a park, donate toys to a children's hospital, save the underwater animals by starting a plastic bag recycling program, and all of this happens to be on election day.
All wonderful ideas, but c'mon 😂
All wonderful ideas, but c'mon 😂
November 14, 2024
I loved this book about volunteering in all sorts of ways and how our acts of service are interconnected. We can have an impact for good, no matter our age or how small our acts of service are. Great children's book from a Supreme Court justice, and now I want to read more about Sonia Sotomayor's life.
March 12, 2022
My first grader and I really enjoyed this one. Lots of great examples of how kids can help each other and help a bigger picture. A great range of representation of people in the community. Ends by asking - How will you help today?
May 18, 2022
A cute story about community and kids inspiring one another to help others. My child felt the story felt a bit rushed (it jumps quickly from one kid's deeds to the next), but overall found the story inspiring.
February 7, 2023
This book is great for helping kids become inspired to help their community! Kids can help in simple ways on their own or work together to have an even bigger impact, and this book helps them recognize that. This book would be perfect to read before doing a community service event as a class, too.
March 1, 2024
This book is a book about our rights and using them as well as passing it forward. It talks about a young girls journey through this.
I really enjoyed this book. Having this book as a brain break and conversation is the vision I see with this book.
I really enjoyed this book. Having this book as a brain break and conversation is the vision I see with this book.
November 8, 2024
Every night Sonia's mom would ask her what she did to help someone that day. In this book, she shows some of the things that children (and adults) can do to help someone. Perfect for discussing how to contribute to our community.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews