It's okay, just ask

Monique Leonardo Carlos

Book - 2024

"An immigration story that gently conveys that curiosity, open-mindedness, and acceptance have the power to overcome fear, close-mindedness, and rejection. It’s Okay, Just Ask is the story of a child who immigrates with her family (older sister and parents) to a new place and faces the uncertainties, fears, and wonder that come with a big change in the middle of childhood. The story is loosely based on the author’s own move to Canada from the Philippines with her family seven years ago and the ways her own two children experienced and coped with the transition. The narrative follows the family’s move through snapshot glimpses into the child’s experiences as she tries to find her place in this new home and community. Each time s...he faces a new uncertainty—on the plane when she notices that her mother is quieter than usual, or when she has questions about an unfamiliar monument in her new country, or when she wonders about the differences between herself and her new classmates—she listens to (or remembers) her mother’s words: It’s okay, just ask. This repeated refrain guides her to meet these new hurdles with open-mindedness, curiosity, and courage. And every time she chooses to just ask, she learns something new and her understanding of this transitional phase of her life and her new home, peers, and neighbors grows deeper and more nuanced. This story aims to teach children that it's okay to ask questions when they are unsure of something, especially when it comes to being confident in, open to, and respectful of the differences you notice in others' lives, cultures, and looks compared to your own!"-- more