Just Help! How to Build a Better World
Inspiring portrait of service urges kids to give back.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Just Help! How to Build a Better World, by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, is the follow-up to her New York Times best-selling Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, and Be You. Generosity proves contagious in this personal portrait of community service, and it teaches kids about civic participation in everyday life. Vividly illustrated by Angela Dominguez, this meaningful book is inspired by Sotomayor's own childhood and honors the memory of her mother, who challenged her each day to help those around her by asking her "How will you help today?" It's a terrific picture book for families to read together as it's sure to spark engaging dialogue on ways to help others. The book closes with Sotomayor asking young readers, "How will you help today?"
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What's the Story?
JUST HELP! HOW TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD is a meaningful story about making the world -- and your community -- a better place, one action at a time. The story features a young Sonia and her Latina mother, Mami, who every morning asks her, "How will you help today?" Since Sonia wants to help her community, just like her Mami does, she always makes sure she has a good answer to Mami's question. This relatable story takes young readers on a journey through Sonia's neighborhood where kids and adults, activists, community workers, friends and strangers, all come together to help one another build a better world and a better community for themselves.
Is It Any Good?
Author Sonia Sotomayor continues to inspire us with her journey, and in this lively picture book she wonderfully captures the energy and joy of giving to others. In Just Help! How to Build a Better World, beautifully illustrated by Angela Dominguez, the first Latina justice on the U.S. Supreme Court shares some of her fondest childhood memories and shows how we can each do our part to help make the world a better place. Young readers will walk away understanding that it's often the little things each of us do every day that can have the biggest impact and ultimately improve our communities.
A letter to readers is included at the beginning of the book and shares the backstory for this book, including details about the author's childhood, her mother's own life of service, and insight into how Sotomayor found different ways to participate in civic life and help her community through a career in law. Her letter also encourages kids to make a difference, even asks them the same question her mom asked her daily: "How will you help today?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how they can help their own communities and ask themselves the questions asked of the main character in Just Help!: How to Build a Better World. "How will you help today?" Or "How did you help others today?"
Read through this book and identify the different ways in which the characters help one another and their community. What are some different ways kids can help? Who are some of the other people in the community that help? How do they help?
Come together as a family and make a list of ways that you can help your community. Who will you help? How will you help? Are there other people in your community that you can enlist to help?
Book Details
- Author: Sonia Sotomayor
- Illustrator: Angela Dominguez
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Activism, Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Philomel
- Publication date: January 25, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 32
- Available on: Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: April 1, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
Gorgeous, upbeat book about strength in our differences.
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Turning Pages: My Life Story
Inspiring life story of first Latina Supreme Court Justice.
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What Can a Citizen Do?
Timely book on citizenship engages kids on their level.
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Sofia Valdez, Future Prez
Girl takes on city hall in fun, diverse tale of persistence.
For kids who love Latino stories and biographies
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