Maybe just ask me!

Mazeika pens a heartfelt and empowering picture book based on her own childhood experiences. Mazie, a young girl beginning her first day at a new school, has to wear a headscarf and an eye patch, sparking curiosity among her classmates. Instead of asking her directly, the other kids whisper fantastical stories--Mazie's hair got burnt off in a circus! Her family are pirates! Mazie feels isolated and invisible as her attempts to join in and explain are ignored. Her journey to finding the courage to confront her classmates and invite them to ask questions is both relatable and inspiring. Through charming illustrations and an engaging narrative, the book gently explores themes of inclusion, curiosity, and bravery. The author includes her own story and struggles with the aftereffects of her childhood cancer and the difficulties she faced in school. She offers valuable advice about approaching and asking about people's disabilities and differences. The story encourages young readers to embrace differences, dispel assumptions, and foster open communication.

A child faces gossip from her new classmates. Though Mazie's nervous about starting at a new school, she's excited about making friends. But when she introduces herself, the other kids only stare at her headscarf and eye patch. After the wind sweeps off the tan-skinned child's headscarf, revealing that she's bald, Mazie's racially diverse classmates concoct wild tales. Maybe Mazie was in the circus, and a fire breather burped on her hair. Maybe the eye patch means she's a pirate! Mazie understands their curiosity is "only natural," but she's frustrated that they'd rather gossip than approach her. Finally, with her P.E. teacher's support, Mazie makes a speech: She's "as daring as any circus girl" and "fiercer than a pirate," and if her classmates want to know what happened, "Maybe just ask me!" When they do, the answer depicts a doctor and Mazie, toting an IV, battling a fire-breathing dragon. Unfortunately, the details aren't specified until the author's note, where Mazeika explains that the story is based on her experiences with childhood cancer. Though the images contain some clues, omitting mentions of cancer from the primary text risks leaving younger readers still guessing what happened--the very behavior Mazie seeks to stop. Still, the bright, rounded illustrations sympathetically convey Mazie's emotions, clearly depicting her sadness at her classmates' rumors and her happiness when they befriend her after learning her story. A reminder that kids with disabilities are the authorities of their own stories.(Picture book. 4-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.