''Uncle Daddy'' is a

young adult In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...

novel written by Ralph Fletcher, first published in

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

. It was awarded a Christopher Medal in the Books for Young People, ages 10–12 category in 2002.

Plot summary

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

Roger Sutton in his review for ''

Horn Book Magazine ''The Horn Book Magazine'', founded in Boston in 1924, is the oldest bimonthly magazine dedicated to reviewing children's literature. It began as a "suggestive purchase list" prepared by Bertha Mahony and Elinor Whitney Field, proprietors of t ...

'' 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." Heide Piehler said in her review for ''

School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, wi ...

'' that this novel will "appeal to readers who want an alternative to the grim realism of much contemporary fiction." 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." Nancy Johnson in her review for ''

The Reading Teacher ''The Reading Teacher'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal published six times per year by Wiley-Blackwell. The current editors are Jan Lacina (Texas Christian University) and Robin Griffith (Texas Christian University). ''The Reading Teacher'' is ...

'' 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."

Awards

''Uncle Daddy'' was awarded a Christopher Medal in the Books for Young People, ages 10–12 category in 2002.

Notes

External links

{{Portal, Children and Young Adult Literature
Ralph Fletcher's website
2001 American novels American young adult novels American children's novels 2001 children's books Clarion Books books Children's books about families