Video published by Daniel’s Music Foundation here on YouTube (link is external)

Nancy’s Book Corner - Episode #7:

Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You (Friday, May 13, 2022)

(SPEECH)

[00:00:00.21] Nancy's Book Corner, a read-aloud of children's books that introduce disabilities and celebrate differences.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:00:07.47] Nancy Trush.

(SPEECH)

[00:00:08.98] Hi. Welcome back to Nancy's Book Corner. I'm Nancy Trush, co-founder of Daniel's Music Foundation and Daniel's mom. As an early childhood educator, one of my favorite things to do is to share special books about differences with my students. The title of today's book is Just Ask written by US Supreme Court justice, Sonia Sotomayor, and illustrated by Rafael Lopez.

[00:00:41.88] This is a story about a little girl named Sonia. Sonia and her friends are planting a garden, and each one contributes in his or her own way. All of her friends are different, but they have one thing in common. They like to ask questions and learn about one another. Let's get started.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:01:04.92] In the book, a drawing of a dark haired girl pushing plants.

(SPEECH)

[00:01:08.13] Hi. I'm Sonia. My friends and I are planting a garden. Gardens are magical places. Thousands of plants bloom together, but every flower, every berry, and every leaf is different. Each one has a different smell, different color, different shape, and different purpose.

[00:01:32.75] Some flowers need lots of sunlight. Others thrive in the shade. Some have to be trimmed regularly while others are better off left alone. Some trees and flowers are more fragile, and others are more hardy.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:01:51.80] Kids carry plants.

(SPEECH)

[00:01:53.30] Kids are different too. Some of us are in a hurry, and others take more time. Some of us seem shy and quiet while others are chatty and loud. Some of our differences are easy to spot. Others take longer to notice. Each of us grows in our own way. So if you are curious about other kids, just ask.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:02:22.22] Sonia sits in a big red rose pushing a syringe into her arm. Bees flutter.

(SPEECH)

[00:02:26.78] Not everyone is comfortable answering questions about themselves, but I don't mind. What am I doing? Several times a day, I prick my finger to measure the sugar in my blood. And I give myself shots of medicine called insulin. I do this because I have diabetes. And my body doesn't make insulin naturally like other people's. Even though this can sometimes hurt, I gather all my courage to do it so I can be healthy. Do you ever need to take medicine to be healthy?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:03:09.59] A boy paints colorful designs on rocks. He holds an inhaler.

(SPEECH)

[00:03:13.37] I do. My name is Rafael, and I have asthma, which means I sometimes have trouble breathing. When this happens, I take a break to use an inhaler with medicine to make breathing easier. Quiet time helps me slow down and catch my breath. My inhaler is like a tool to help my body. Do you use a tool to help your body?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:03:44.86] A boy with plans in his lap uses a wheelchair to cross the garden. He points and smiles.

(SPEECH)

[00:03:50.00] I'm Anthony, and I use a wheelchair to get around. Even though I can't run with my legs, I can go super fast. How do you get from place to place?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:04:03.89] A girl in sunglasses holds the harness of a brown dog.

(SPEECH)

[00:04:07.82] My name is Madison, and my guide dog Lucky helps me get places safely because I am blind. My friend Arturo is blind too. He uses a cane to get around. Even though we can't see, we strengthen our other senses and notice lots of details that others may miss. We can hear with our ears, smell with our noses, and feel with our hands. How do you use your senses?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:04:43.89] A boy smiles and signs with his hands under the branches of a tree.

(SPEECH)

[00:04:48.89] I'm Vijay. I learn about the world differently because I can see, but I can't hear. I'm deaf. Most of the time, I communicate with people using my face and hands to a sign language. It's cool to know another language. I also love reading and writing. What about you?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:05:15.05] A red haired girl lays in the grass drawing flowers.

(SPEECH)

[00:05:18.88] I'm Bianca, and I have dyslexia. So I have to work really hard and take my time when I am reading and writing words. Sometimes I use computer programs to help me. I love learning by doing things. My imagination is full of ideas, and I'm very good at making art from the pictures I see in my mind. Are you really good at something?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:05:50.58] A boy dressed as a dinosaur.

(SPEECH)

[00:05:52.27] I'm great at dinosaurs. I know all about them. I'm Jordan, and I have autism. Organizing and counting all my toy dinosaurs again and again makes me feel calm. My classmate Tiana also has autism, but it's different for her. She doesn't talk. But I like to talk. I especially like to talk about dinosaurs. What do you like to talk about?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:06:26.44] A brown haired girl sits and smiles at a grasshopper.

(SPEECH)

[00:06:30.99] For me, listening comes more easily than talking. And I'm a really good listener. My name is Awn, and I speak with a stutter. So sometimes I repeat a word or get stuck when I try to say it. It may take me a little longer to express myself. And sometimes I'm too shy to talk. But I understand everything that's going on. Do you ever wonder if people understand you?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:07:03.96] A grinning girl winks at an owl. The owl winks back.

(SPEECH)

[00:07:07.17] I do. My name is Julia. Sometimes I wiggle or make sounds that I can't control because I have Tourette's syndrome. People may look at me funny because they think I am not paying attention or just acting out. But it's not true. I am listening. I don't always like having to explain. It frustrates me. But it helps when I tell people that it's just what my body does. Do you ever feel frustrated?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:07:43.71] A boy runs and leaps while throwing a handful of apple seeds.

(SPEECH)

[00:07:47.10] My name is Manuel, and I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It's also called ADHD. I can get frustrated when I really feel the need to move around even though I'm supposed to sit still. When my teachers and friends are patient with me if I forget something or get distracted, I can get myself back on track. What's helpful to you?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:08:19.32] A boy in a knit hat holds his hand out to refuse an acorn that a squirrel is offering him.

(SPEECH)

[00:08:25.04] I'm Nolan. It's helpful to me when the food I eat has a clear label that says it's nut-free because I am allergic to nuts. They can make me so sick that I would have to go to the hospital if I ate any even by accident. So I always tell people about my allergy and ask if any food has nut ingredients. Speaking up keeps me healthy. How do you use your voice?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:08:59.55] A girl with a big smile listens to birds singing.

(SPEECH)

[00:09:02.90] I love to sing, and I love to talk. I love to make new friends and be included. I embrace. I was born with Down syndrome. Kids like me with Down syndrome have an extra building block called a chromosome in our bodies. But we are all different from each other too. I can do almost anything any other kid can do, though learning new things can take some time. One way I learn is to ask questions. What helps you learn?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:09:42.18] All of the kids stand in the garden together on a hill covered in colorful flowers.

(SPEECH)

[00:09:47.26] It's me, Sonia, again. I ask questions too. When something seems different or new, I just ask my parents or my teachers, and they help me to understand, especially if my friends don't feel ready to explain. This is what I've learned.

[00:10:09.61] Imagine if all the plants in the garden were exactly the same. What if we could only grow peas? That would mean no strawberries or cucumbers or carrots. It might also mean no trees or roses or sunflowers.

[00:10:30.73] Just like in our garden, all the ways we are different make our neighborhood, our whole world really more interesting and fun. And just like all of these plants, each of us has unique powers to share with the world and make it more interesting and richer. What will you do with your powers?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:10:57.58] Nancy closes the book. The back cover says, Each of us grows in our own way.

(SPEECH)

[00:11:03.67] I hope you enjoyed the story, Just Ask. Just like the plants in Sonia's garden, each of us grows in our own special way. Remember, be different, be brave, be you. I look forward to sharing another story with you again real soon. Goodbye.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:11:25.18] She smiles and waves. Text, Nancy's book corner. Thanks for watching. To learn more visit Daniels Music dot org, and subscribe to Daniel's Music Foundation on YouTube.

(SPEECH)

[00:11:26.08] [MUSIC PLAYING]