Sonia SotomayorJust Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You

This book is great. The colors are vibrant and images are engaging but most importantly the message is on point. I love how each child's story leads into the next child's story and connects them in ways that are easy to understand for children. This has become the number one book I love to gift to teachers for their classroom libraries.

My nephew has ADHD. I bought the book for him, to show him he's not alone. And boy did it work! His teacher bought a copy of the book for all his classmates and they read it in class, one page every Monday and then she would explain the health problem illustrated. The children then had the week to ask around what people knew about that week problem and if anyone they knew had it.It totally changed the children's behavior toward my nephew and other people.I wholeheartedly recommend this book to everybody.

This book explains some of the differences in kids and the pictures reflect the author and illustrator's desire to show how every challenge can be looked at in a positive light, if we wish. Author Sotomayor describes how trees and flowers grow differently and so do people. She narrates how how she grew up testing the sugar in her blood and illustrator Lopez shows a young girl giving herself shots of insulin. Sotomayor explains why, in age-appropriate language, kids might want to repeat themselves carefully (stuttering), or use an inhaler (asthma). She describes other issues many kids deal with, including being in a wheelchair, being blind or deaf, autism, stuttering, Tourette's syndrome, ADHD, allergies, and Down syndrome. She devotes a paragraph to each; not going into a lot of detail but just enough to cover the basics and put them into perspective. In many schools, I've seen some of these challenges are called "learning differences"; in others they might be called learning disabilities. They are all challenges. Of course, kids have to be taught about the differences their peers have, hence the book's title, "Just Ask". On an adult level, in most schools the issues are accepted and accommodated. Kids needing insulin shots visit the nurse's office for their injections (and other kids may wonder why). Kids on the autism spectrum might learn organization and executive function skills, or, depending on the severity, might not be expected to speak in class. Kids using sign language might attend a special school. When I first started to read the book, I wasn't sure so many facts should be included in a single paragraph for each challenge, but this is a book that's meant to be read by an adult to the kids, explained, and discussed. Yes, it's a lot to take in, but it will start important discussions and put differences into perspective. In a sense, it levels the playing field. We are all different, some of us have more visible challenges than others, and it's okay to ask why.

Love this book for representation! Used it for a school wide presentation about fairness vs. equality.

I bought this to help my son understand his Tourette syndrome. When I got this, it not only talks about that, but other disabilities kids struggle with and helps kids feel safe to ask other kids what they are going through. It talks about kids with disabilities like Tourette syndrome, to hearing impairment to ADHD and anxiety. I went back and bought 3 more copies. Gave some to the school and classrooms to share with kids.

As a teacher and as a mother I can say this book is a must read for ALL families. It has beautiful illustrations and explains medical and cognitive differences in easy to understand terms. Love it.

A gorgeous book with a gorgeous message! An important lesson to teach! The book's illustrations are stunning, however, it is rather wordy. I was hoping this would put the lesson of difference in simple terms but it instead uses more lengthy in-depth explanations that are more suitable for older children. With a bit of summarizing as I read aloud to my preschool students, this book will act as a wonderful text to jump-start our conversation about disability and difference.

I bought this book for my 9 and 7 year old grandchildren whose extended family includes multi-racial members. The author is Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor who was diagnosed with Type I diabetes as a child and has taken insulin most of her life. I have Type II diabetes and I also take insulin. Justice Sotomayor’s revelation in her autobiography about her own affliction helped me come to terms with my chronic illnesses and encouraged me to take my insulin regularly to keep my condition under control. Just Ask! Be different! describes the lives of different children and encourages young people to accept children as possible friends regardless of their appearance or disabilities. And to ask if we want to learn more. The book’s message and illustrations are lovely. I have met Justice Sotomayor in person when she visited Jackson, Mississippi for our annual Book Festival. She was especially interested in talking to the children and encouraging them to do well in school. She autographed her books and took pictures with them. I will also keep a copy of this book in the kids corner of my office. I am an immigration lawyer at a small nonprofit agency. Many immigrant parents bring their children to our office when they come for consultations, which are often lengthy. I have books and toys in the kids corner, including bi-lingual books for kids.