MAYBE JUST ASK ME
By: Katie Mazeika
Published: April 22, 2025
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Fiction
April 14, 2025, is the beginning of Exceptional Children’s Week. This week explores and celebrates Exceptional Children, those with disabilities or special gifts and/or talents. Today is “All About Us” day where children are encouraged to share their stories.
Exceptional Children’s Week is an annual celebration of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. The week-long celebration is a national event started by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), an international professional organization dedicated to improving the success of children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.
Even though MAYBE JUST ASK ME isn’t available in stores until next week, I felt it was the perfect day to share this children’s book with you. This book is based on the author’s own childhood story of surviving cancer as a toddler and undergoing numerous surgeries where she eventually lost her eye.
It’s Mazie’s first day at a new school. She is wearing her prettiest eye patch and favorite scarf to cover her head. But, she sees all the stares and knows that the kids are looking and talking about her. When it is time for her to introduce herself to the class, she gets nervous and ends up not sharing her story.
As they move to recess, a gust of wind blows her scarf off and all the kids see that she doesn’t have any hair. At lunch, Mazie overhears some of the kids wondering if she was in the circus or from a pirate family. These rumors hurt Mazie’s feelings and at PE she has an idea to end all the talking. Mazie finally shares her story with her new class.
Even though Mazie’s story isn’t explicitly shared, kids will get an idea from the illustrations that Mazie had been sick but she never lost hope. The kids learned from Mazie that it’s okay to just ask the questions you are wondering about, just be sure to ask nicely.
At the end of the book, the author shares her own story stating that SHE is Mazie. She struggled with kids talking about her behind her back. Even though no one was mean, no one ever asked her what happened to her. Katie states, “When we pretend not to see people with disabilities, we make them feel invisible. And it’s not okay to ignore somebody else because they have a disability.”
I would be shocked if your child doesn’t have an “exceptional child” in their school or classroom. Mazeika states, “Curiosity, with kindness” should always be allowed in school. Reading this book with your child may allow them to feel comfortable asking the questions they are curious about. Having a discussion with them or practicing questions may also be helpful. Even teachers preparing their classroom to welcome a new student could benefit from reading this story aloud and having a discussion about possible questions to ask or ways to be kind and welcoming.
The author ends the book with a personal list of ways to be supportive of people like her. We all have things that make us unique and special. Some are obvious and others are things you maybe don’t see. Encouraging curiosity, with kindness will make all kids feel welcomed and appreciated.
Click HERE to listen to Katie Mazeika talk about the book.
Katie Mazeika is an author and illustrator with a BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design. When she isn’t in the studio, she likes to spend time at the theater, in her garden, or getting lost in a good book. She is the creator of picture book biographies including Annette Feels Free and Beulah Has a Hunch!. She lives in Ohio with her family and two dogs. To learn more, and download a free curriculum guide, visit her website at katiemazeika.com.
To purchase a copy of MAYBE JUST ASK ME, click HERE.
Access Curriculum Guides, HERE.
Help your child with counting, shapes, and colors with these manipulatives set, HERE.
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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Book Review, Children's books, Disability, fiction, Katie Mazeika