My daughter loved this one. Very easy to read for her level and loved the pictures. We actually read this a few times and my daughter was able to tell the story in her own at the end.

A wonderful book about a family immigrating to Canada. This book is beautifully illustrated. It shows a family as they leave their home and the children have questions about moving and the new things they encounter. The story reinforces that it's okay to have questions and to ask questions about new experiences and support each other. This would be a wonderful addition to a school library and public library.

A beautiful story centred around the power of questions. They can bring us comfort, knowledge, new things to explore and ease in fitting in and foster acceptance in new places/situations/with new people. Even when the answer is not the one we want and expect it has the power to achieve those things.
A beautiful story with gorgeous illustrations , Canadians will recognize the beautiful landscapes and cultural mosaic of our country and the story is relatable to anyone who has been somewhere new, felt out of place or had to leave a place they love. Recommend for children of all ages.

In It's Okay, Just Ask by Monique Leonardo Carlos, we see an inquisitive child who is encouraged to ask questions by his mother. As they leave their homeland and travel to a new place, the child wonders whether they will ever return, whether the will ever make friends, why they look different from others, etc. "It's okay, just ask", the mother tells them.

The child receives answers which sometimes lead to new questions, sometimes need "a bit of faith", and sometimes the adults don't know the answers. What I like about this book is that the adults do not demonstrate frustration with the child, they are patient and allow them to ask their questions. Oftentimes, when children feel shut down, they stop engaging with those around them. This book teaches children to reach out and adults to listen.

I also really enjoyed the illustrations. Salini Perera realistically drew out the scenes and the family, even going so far as to capture the family's curly hair texture, something that often isn't seen. Palini's illustrations added another layer to the book that helps children to understand what is occurring as the text moves along.

I would recommend this book to families with younger children and K - 3 classroom teachers.

Thank you to Owlkids Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this Advanced Reader's Copy. The book is scheduled to be published on October 15, 2024.

**Thank you to OwlKids in conjunction with SLJ's Picture Book Palooza. This in no way changed my rating**

The child main character is moving countries and has a lot of questions as the story progresses. I really like that the parents in this story are so open with their son and encourage his curiosity. They don't ever shut him down and they're honest when they don't know the answer. That allows the child to come to them even with questions that are hard or might be embarrassing ("What happens if I don't make friends at my new school?"). I like, too, that the author reassures the child reader that sometimes we don't know the answer or it may be an answer we don't like or an answer that requires faith on our part that it will work out that way, and that is ok. Would recommend for parents, especially.

Sweet story about a family that moves somewhere new, and a boy who’s curious about his new surroundings. Very sweet with gorgeous illustrations and a great message: “it’s okay, just ask.” As someone who was a shy kid growing up, I think that’s a great message to spread to my students!

This book tells the story of a child who is moving somewhere that is a plane ride away. He learns that it is ok to have questions, you just have to ask them. He also learns that sometimes the answers aren’t so easy, but asking means that you can figure it out together. I liked the hockey jerseys and mention of an inuksuk because it is set in Canada. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this sweet book.

I received an electronic ARC from Owlkids Books through NetGalley.
Heartwarming story of a family as they move to a new location far from their home. The overall premise is encouraging as the title says. I appreciate the mom and dad being supportive and admitting when they don't know the answers either. The author tenderly shows challenges they face and how they ask questions and learn together. The illustrations are colorful and offer glimpses of their past home as well as making this new location home too. Wonderful read aloud for families who move and for classes to welcome everyone who has moved there.

A huge thank you to #NetGalley and #OwlKidsBooks for an Arc of #ItsOkayJustAsk in exchange for my honest opinion.

As an educator I am always looking for ways to introduce new stories into my classroom whether through group reading or independent reading. I also look for ways to introduce stories into my classroom of experiences that children go through and emotions they may feel.
What makes this story perfect for my classroom is it introduces the students to how new students may feel when they enter a new school whether they are from this country or from another one. Being new is hard and a lot times they feel unsure.
What I loved about this story is here we have this little boy who loved to another country and is struggling in his new life/environment. This story encourages young readers that when you are unsure of things it is okay to ask questions to help you understand.
That is a great message to teach all children not just those who are new. It is important to teach all children to not fear what is unknown to them.
Overall the illustrations were beautifully done, and the message was perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and look forward to purchasing this for my classroom as teachers are aware we never know when we are going to get a new student.

Cute and meaningful book, just not really my cup of tea. I think that this book will be very helpful for kids that are going through changes in their life because the main character in this book is going through a move and is scared and confused. This main character's strength through this big change will encourage young readers to have courage as well and ask questions when there is something they don't understand. On top of that, it will inevitably help get rid of the fear of asking questions. In other words, I think that this book is intended for a more specific audience, rather than a broader one (kids scared of a change vs. kids everywhere). But, for that specific audience I think this book will hold so much value and meaning for them. Lastly, the illustrations made sense, had a good amount of detail, and definitely added nice touches to the overall story.

"It's Okay, Just Ask" follows a little girl's literal and emotional journey from what is familiar to what is new as her family moves to a new country. This delightful book eases common childhood fears by encouraging kids to ask questions when they feel uncertain or confused. As a tender counterbalance, this book also reassures parents that it's ok to not have always have straightforward answers --- what's important is children feel safe to ask, and parents feel empowered to answer even if the answer is "I don't know." This story celebrates curiosity, family connection, and community-building.

This was such a thoughtful book about a topic I don’t see many children’s books on. It can be confusing, sad, and scary to move to a new place and I love that this book recognizes all of that.

I really appreciated in this book how the parents didn’t always have the answer or give him the answer he wanted. This is a must have book for anyone moving big moves or for any classroom.

Thank you NetGalley, Owlkids Books, and Monique Leonardo and Carlos, Salini Perera for the early access copy of It’s Okay, Just Ask.

It’s Okay, Just Ask tells the story of a family who are emigrating to a new country and the questions that may arise. The young child in the story's questions are answered with care and support by letting them know "It's okay, just ask!" the questions you are experiencing. There are different results to the different questions. Some are answered right away, some lead to new questions, and some may not be the response you are looking for, but help you understand. The illustrations do a remarkable job of showing the emotions of the characters and their environments.

It’s Okay, Just Ask will be a fantastic tool for schools and libraries to help students and families understand the emigration experience and the emotions that are associated.

This was a BEAUTIFUL book with such a wonderful concept behind it. I loved the story and the conversations that follow this with kids. My kids adored this book.