Uncle Bobby’s Wedding

 

Uncle Bobby’s Wedding. Sarah S. Brannen. Illus. by Sarah S. Brannen. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2008. 30 pages. $15.99 (Hardcover). ISBN 978-0-399-24712-5. Grades PreK-2.

Chloe loves her Uncle Bobby. She loves when they take long walks, she loves when they row on the river, and she loves when they look at the stars together. Uncle Bobby loves Chloe and all of their activities too, but he also loves his boyfriend Jamie, and they are getting married. Chloe sulks alone while everyone celebrates the newly announced engagement, scared she is going to lose her special uncle. Uncle Bobby explains that while he and Jamie love each other, want to live together, and have their own family, that they will keep having fun together. Uncle Bobby keeps his promise and Chloe has a blast hanging out with Jamie and Bobby and eventually coordinates and plays a crucial role in “the best wedding ever.” Sarah Brannen confidently heralds marriage in a story that emphasizes love and acceptance regardless of gender or species. The illustrations depict a normal family doing normal things, which helps make it a relatable story to children with same gendered parents. Readers will be able to relate to the juvenile jealousy and aversion to change even if their situation was different. A positive depiction of the creation of a modern family. Recommended

My Thoughts…

I was touched from the beginning of the book with the dedication reading, “To my family and to all people who love each other.” I was glad to see that love was the basis of this book and the argument that the wedding was to be celebrated and accepted. I think the bond between Chloe and Uncle Bobby is crucial to making this book relatable to children, since they would need to identify with a younger character who is involved in some way. It would be weird if they were just relatives and she felt passionately about the marriage. It was interesting to see jealousy again as the opposition to the relationship, but it makes perfect sense since smaller children would not likely have any other opposition since they haven’t gotten in to the politics of everything yet. I also think that jealousy is such a natural reaction that it makes sense. I loved the straightforward, matter of fact answer that when people love each other that much they want to be married because it is true. I also loved that Uncle Bobby explained why. I did find it interesting that ballet was involved because it seemed stereotypical, but hey, I guess there isn’t anything wrong with that. It definitely didn’t take away from the story. I do think this is a great story to have in a classroom or library because it does offer a view of what is becoming a common, modern family. 

Potential Reaction…

I think young readers will respond well to this book since it emphasizes the importance of love when it comes to relationships and never implies that there is anything different or wrong with Bobby and Jamie’s bond. I think the fact that the characters are animals will help younger children see two same gendered people together without it being awkward or weird (since some children will have never seen a gay couple before). While homosexual relationships/gay marriage are clearly the subjects of this book, the opposition to the union has nothing to do with sexual orientation but fear of losing attention. I think this fear will make more sense to young children, since they probably wont have an opinion or even knowledge about homosexuality, unless they have single gendered parents. In the case that readers have single gendered parents, I feel that the reaction to this book will be great. They get to see a story about people in love like their parents getting married and having unconditional support from their family and having a blast. I do wonder if smaller children will question Uncle Bobby’s desire to have children, since it is known that Bobby and Jamie are both males. I know kids are inquisitive, I just don’t know how much attention they will be paying to the specifics in the story. I think children will be able to relate to Chloe’s fear of losing her uncle to someone else regardless of who just because children often have special bonds with adults and knows what it feels like to experience change.

Reminds Me Of…

This book is incredibly similar to Mini Mia and Her Darling Uncle by Pija Lindenbaum. Like Chloe Mia is jealous of her favorite uncle’s significant other, and like Chloe Mia does come around to accept them. Although Fergus and Uncle Tommy do not get married in Mini Mia, the acceptance of their relationship by Mia mirrors the support of the family and Chloe in Uncle Bobby’s Wedding. Unlike in Mini Mia, Uncle Bobby’s Wedding discussed and emphasizes the importance of love and how love makes it okay that Bobby and Jamie get married. The stress on the naturalness of marriage between those in love and the desire to raise a family, in addition to the superficial fact that the character are animals, reminded me of And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson.