Just Ask! & The Artist's Garden at Vétheuil

Featured Book: Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor
Featured Artwork: The Artist's Garden at Vétheuil (1881) by Claude Monet

If you look closely at Claude Monet's The Artist's Garden at Vétheuil, you might be surprised by bright colors in unexpected places like the pink in the clouds or the blue in the shadows of the vases and the wide variety of bold brushwork, but all of these extraordinary colors and brushstrokes come together to form a beautiful garden scene.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor's story features another unique garden scene. She used her own experiences as a child diagnosed with diabetes to write Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You, a story about children with various challenges. In this story, Sonia and her friends plant a garden together and in the process discover their unique and special differences. When something seems different or new, asking a parent or teacher can help us understand.

Draw or paint a community garden for you and your loved ones. Think of a different friend or family member as you add each unique plant, flower, insect, or animal, and celebrate what is special about each one.

If you don’t have access to the featured book, select something similar from your child’s book shelf or your local library. Many of the books are also available as read-aloud videos online.