Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor shares an important message about recognizing the unique differences and abilities of all - and celebrating that diversity. While a group of kids plant a community garden, they take turns asking questions and learning about each other.
Sonia Sotomayor was born in the Bronx, New York. She earned a BA from Princeton University and a JD from Yale Law School. She served as assistant district attorney in New York County, and then as a litigator at Pavia & Harcourt. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush nominated her to the US District Court, Southern District of New York. In 1997, President William Jefferson Clinton nominated her to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. President Barack Obama nominated her as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on May 26, 2009, and she assumed this role August 8, 2009, becoming the first Latina to ever hold such a high position. She is the author of
My Beloved World,
Turning Pages,
The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor,
Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You, and
Just Help!: How to Build a Better World.
Rafael López (RafaelLopez.com) won Pura Belpré medals for
Dancing Hands,
Drum Dream Girl, and
Book Fiesta!, and has also received three Pura Belpré honors, two Américas Book Awards, and the 2017 Tomás Rivera Children's Book Award and Society of Illustrators Original Art Silver Medal. His work has been featured in
Communication Arts,
American Illustration Annual,
Graphic Design USA, and
Huffington Post. He's a founder of San Diego's Urban Art Trail movement, created thirteen US Postal Stamps, and created official posters for the '08 and '12 Obama-Biden campaigns. Follow him on Twitter @RafaelLopezArt.
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"A beautiful story about understanding differences and celebrating what makes us unique." --
Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education, Parents Magazine
