ParentsPick

Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You — Content Guide for Parents

By Sonia SotomayorPenguin2019-09-03ISBN 978052551412132 pages
Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You

Themes present

Racial/cultural content
LGBTQ+ themes

Not found

ViolenceScary contentReligious themesProfanityClimate changeSexual identityGender roles

Content themes

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Religious themes

PRESENT

Contains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.

About this book

Justice Sonia Sotomayor and award-winning artist Rafael Lopez create a kind and caring book about the differences that make each of us unique.

A #1 New York Times bestseller!

Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award!

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.

Praise for Just Ask:

* "Addressing topics too often ignored, this picture book presents information in a direct and wonderfully child-friendly way." --Booklist, *STARRED REVIEW*

"An affirmative, delightfully diverse overview of disabilities." --Kirkus Reviews

"A hopeful and sunny exploration of the many things that make us unique [with] dynamic and vibrant illustrations [that] emphasize each character’s unique abilities. . . . A thoughtful and empathetic story of inclusion." --SLJ

Frequently asked questions

  • Is Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You appropriate for a 7-year-old?

    No violence is present in the book. The narrative focuses on celebrating differences among children and does not include any violent content. No scary content in the book. The narrative is uplifting and focuses on celebrating diversity among children.

  • Does Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You have violence?

    No violence is present in the book. The narrative focuses on celebrating differences among children and does not include any violent content.

  • Does Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You have scary content?

    No scary content in the book. The narrative is uplifting and focuses on celebrating diversity among children.

  • Does Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You have religious themes?

    No religious content in the book itself. The search results reference Sonia Sotomayor's background as a practicing Catholic, but this is not relevant to the book's narrative.

  • Does Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You have racial/cultural content?

    The book features diverse characters, including children of different ethnicities and abilities, promoting the value of seeing and respecting differences. However, explicit discussions of race as a central theme are not detailed in the search results.

  • Does Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You have profanity?

    No profanity is present in the book. The content is aimed at young readers and is designed to be kind and caring.

  • Does Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You have climate change?

    No climate themes are present in the book. The narrative centers on personal differences and acceptance rather than environmental issues.

  • Does Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You have sexual identity?

    No sexual content in the book. The story is appropriate for children and centers on themes of acceptance and understanding differences.

  • Does Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You have gender roles?

    While the book includes diverse characters in terms of gender and abilities, it does not actively discuss or critique gender roles. The focus is on celebrating differences rather than on gender dynamics.

  • Does Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You have lgbtq+ themes?

    The book features diverse characters, including children with various conditions, which may encompass LGBTQ+ themes of acceptance and honoring differences. However, specific LGBTQ+ identities or themes are not explicitly mentioned in the search results.