Uncle Daddy
 First hardcover edition | |
| Author | Ralph Fletcher |
|---|---|
| Genre | Young Adult |
| Publisher | Clarion Books |
Publication date | April 1, 2001 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 144 |
| ISBN | 978-0-395-87323-6 |
| OCLC | 38216537 |
| LC Class | PZ7.F632115 Fl 1998 |
Uncle Daddy is a young adult novel written by Ralph Fletcher, first published in 2001. It was awarded a Christopher Medal in the Books for Young People, ages 10–12 category in 2002.
Plot summary[edit]
Rivers's father abandoned his wife and son when the son is three years old, he goes out to get a pizza and does not come back. His mother's uncle moves in and becomes "Uncle Daddy". Rivers is living a fairly typical life for a nine-year-old boy when his father returns after a six-year absence. The return of Rivers's father threatens to tear the family apart until Uncle Daddy suffers a near fatal heart attack. Rivers and his parents come together to support Uncle Daddy.
Reception[edit]
Roger Sutton in his review for Horn Book Magazine said that "Rivers's narration is open and vulnerable, and readers will feel a ready empathy, not to mention a wish for an Uncle Daddy of their own."[1] Heide Piehler said in her review for School Library Journal that this novel will "appeal to readers who want an alternative to the grim realism of much contemporary fiction."[2] Carol Otis Hurst in her review for Teaching Pre K-8 said that "this short novel is a tear-jerker and Uncle Daddy is almost too good to ring true, but the plot survives -- and so does Uncle Daddy. Rivers' father has some reasons but no excuses for abandoning his family and their anger is realistically presented."[3] Nancy Johnson in her review for The Reading Teacher said that "Ralph Fletcher's realistic relationship between adults is convincing while the hero status imposed by Rivers on his great-uncle provides a child's perspective of a relative who went beyond the common familial relationships to provide a safe and secure environment for loved ones."[4]
Awards[edit]
Uncle Daddy was awarded a Christopher Medal in the Books for Young People, ages 10–12 category in 2002.[5][6]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Sutton, Roger (July–August 2001). "Uncle Daddy". Horn Book Magazine. 77 (4): 450. ISSN 0018-5078.
- ^ Piehler, Heide (May 2001). "Uncle Daddy (Book Review)". School Library Journal. 47 (5): 149. ISSN 0362-8930.
- ^ Hurst, Carol Otis (August–September 2001). "Into the Unknown". Teaching Pre K-8. 32 (1): 110. ISSN 0891-4508.
- ^ Johnson, Nancy J (March 1, 2002). "Intergenerational". Reading Teacher: 602. ISSN 0034-0561.
- ^ "The Christophers, Inc". Archived from the original on 2009-11-15. Retrieved 2008-11-26.
- ^ Cara Falcetti; Blanchard, Mary Warner (2006). Poets for Young Adults: Their Lives and Works. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. p. 90. ISBN 0-313-32884-6.
