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"Uncle Bobby's Wedding" by Sarah S. Brannen

Author:

Sarah S. Brannen

Publisher:

Putnam, 2007

Reviewed by:

John Warren Stewig, Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis.

Delightfully low key, this shows how well the author understands young children. Chloe sees the world revolving around her, with a young child’s self-centeredness in resisting change in relationships she enjoys. Uncle Bobby announces his intention to get married to Jamie, identifies the reason they want to do this, and how it will change (or not change) Chloe’s relationship to Bobby. After experiencing the additional benefits of having another uncle, Jaime, Chloe consents to be their flower girl, providing there is carrot cake at the celebration. She is reconciled as they dance at the reception: “That was the best wedding ever….I planned it all from the beginning." A quiet book, this uses its guinea pig main character to unobtrusively teach an important lesson: despite our initial resistance to change, good things can happen when we are open to new ideas. Unlike several earlier books about the topic of same sex relationships, this one is more subtle and not didactic.