It’s Okay, Just Ask
Written by Monique Leonardo Carlos
Illustrated by Salini Perera
Published by Owlkids Books
BOOK SYNOPSIS
A little girl and her family are emigrating to a new country. As they say goodbye to their home and move to an unfamiliar place, the girl is full of questions: Will they ever return? What if she doesn’t make new friends? Why does she look different than the other kids? Her mother’s supportive refrain encourages her to voice her curiosity: It’s okay, just ask!
Sometimes the answers lead to exciting discoveries. Other times, the answers are unclear, or prompt even more questions. But each time the girl chooses to just ask, she learns more about her community and herself.
Partially based on the author’s own experience moving her family from the Philippines to Canada, this is a thoughtful, child-centered look at being a newcomer. While exploring the specific experience of immigrants, it also shares a more universal message about speaking up when uncertain or confused. It welcomes readers to ask questions when they’re unsure, and approach different people and places with an open mind.
MONIQUE LEONARDO CARLOS
MONIQUE LEONARDO CARLOS is a long-time collector of picture books, and a former homeschooling mom and classroom teacher. Born in the Philippines, Monique now lives with her husband, three children, and two dogs in beautiful Langley, British Columbia. With a MA in Counseling Psychology and a license in the financial services, Monique enjoys holding workshops for adults and children in the areas of early childhood education, and financial literacy.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Website: www.moniquecarlos.com , www.saffisquirrel.com
Instagram: @MONIQUELEONARDOCARLOS
Email: niqlcarlos@gmail.com
BIBLIOGRAPHY
No other published works. However, she has self-published books.
SALINI PERERA
SALINI PERERA has been making art for as long as she can remember. Now, she gets to make art for picture books—a lifelong dream come true. She was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in Scarborough, Ontario. She was the first to be selected for the Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books residency program at the Lillian H Smith branch of the Toronto Public Library in 2024. She lives in Toronto with her husband Michael and their two cats, Victoria and Alice.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Website: https://www.saliniperera.com/
Instagram: @salini.banana
Email: hello@saliniperera.com
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business” by Denene Millner, Rebel Girls; Nov 2019
“Trailblazers: Scientists Who Dared to Be Different” by Emily Holland; Arcturus, July 2020
“The Extraordinary Life of Steve Jobs” by Craig Barr-Green; Puffin, Oct 2020
“We Are The Supremes (Friends Change the World)” by Zoe Tucker; Wide Eyed Editions, Jan 2021
“Her Epic Adventure: 25 Daring Women Who Inspire a Life Less Ordinary” by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston; Kids Can Press, May 2021
“Gamer Girls: 25 Women Who Built the Video Game Industry” by Mary Kenny; Running Press Kids, July 2022
“Lands of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Britain” by Donna Amey Bhatt and Vikesh Amey Bhatt; Nosy Crow, July 2022
“Hiders, Seekers, Finders, Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter” by Jessica Kulekjian; Kids Can Press, Oct 2022
“Beautiful You, Beautiful Me” by Tasha Spillet-Sumner; Owlkids, Oct 2022
“Inspiring Inventors Who Are Changing Our Future: People Power series” by Hiba Noor Khan; Walker Books, Sept 2023
“All the Faces of Me” by Laura Alary; Owlkids, Oct 2023
“It’s Ok, Just Ask” by Monique Leonardo Carlos; Owlkids, Oct 2024
“Ins and Outs” by Elizabeth Withey; Orca, 2025
UPCOMING “We All Casts Shadows” by James Gladstone; Owlkids, 2026
