Overview
In a small town in northern India, three siblings await their father's youngest brother. They have heard many stories about Young uncle, so when he arrives, nine-year-old Sarita, seven-year-old Ravi, and the baby know their lives will be changed. From feeding a tiger spinach-paneer to charming an angry tree ghost,Young uncle's adventures are as humorous and unusual as he is. Peppered with black-and-white illustrations, this entertaining chapter book was originally published to great acclaim in the author's native India.Synopsis
In a small town in northern India, three siblings await their father's youngest brother. They have heard many stories about Young uncle, so when he arrives, nine-year-old Sarita, seven-year-old Ravi, and the baby know their lives will be changed. From feeding a tiger spinach-paneer to charming an angry tree ghost,Young uncle's adventures are as humorous and unusual as he is. Peppered with black-and-white illustrations, this entertaining chapter book was originally published to great acclaim in the author's native India.
Mary Loftus - Children's Literature
The font size and cover illustration are the only clear indications that this is a children's story. The main character is an adult, and the stories feature the dilemmas of grown-ups. In "Younguncle Saves His Sister From a Terrible Fate," the main character thwarts the arranged marriage of his sister. In "Younguncle and the Monkey Summer," he rescues a stolen cow, restoring the source of the milkman's income to its rightful owner. Younguncle is trailed by his nieces and nephew—Sarita, Ravi, and the baby—but the kids are really just spectators to the action. The stories have the cadence and tone of legends, but that may not be enough to keep readers interested. When Younguncle goes for a village visit in the final story, he stays with Ancient Uncle and Ancient Aunt and the kids are left behind. Younguncle is involved in an intricate plot to rescue Ancient Uncle's horse (another stolen animal), to humiliate the head of the Gobarmal clan, and to rescue a servant girl. Even the vocabulary may stump younger readers, with difficult words like "levitation," "prosaic," and "dyspeptic" throughout the stories. Although the reader is told how much the children love him, Younguncle is not really that much fun. 2006, Viking/Penguin, Ages 9 to 12.
Editorials
Children's Literature
The font size and cover illustration are the only clear indications that this is a children's story. The main character is an adult, and the stories feature the dilemmas of grown-ups. In "Younguncle Saves His Sister From a Terrible Fate," the main character thwarts the arranged marriage of his sister. In "Younguncle and the Monkey Summer," he rescues a stolen cow, restoring the source of the milkman's income to its rightful owner. Younguncle is trailed by his nieces and nephew—Sarita, Ravi, and the baby—but the kids are really just spectators to the action. The stories have the cadence and tone of legends, but that may not be enough to keep readers interested. When Younguncle goes for a village visit in the final story, he stays with Ancient Uncle and Ancient Aunt and the kids are left behind. Younguncle is involved in an intricate plot to rescue Ancient Uncle's horse (another stolen animal), to humiliate the head of the Gobarmal clan, and to rescue a servant girl. Even the vocabulary may stump younger readers, with difficult words like "levitation," "prosaic," and "dyspeptic" throughout the stories. Although the reader is told how much the children love him, Younguncle is not really that much fun. 2006, Viking/Penguin, Ages 9 to 12.—Mary Loftus