MarisaMyTwoUncles

//__ My Two Uncles __// //Judith Vigna// This story describes a young girl’s involvement with a gay relative. The main character, Elly, has a hard time understanding why her grandfather cannot accept the fact that her Uncle Ned is gay and Elly gets upset when her grandpa does not invite Ned or his partner, Phil, to his 50th anniversary party. The situation is handled carefully and Elly talks with her father about her how Grandpa is having difficulty accepting Uncle Ned’s way of life. The author, Judith Vigna, does a great job at introducing this theme which is especially important in today’s society. Gay and lesbian couples are depicted in this book that has shown me a few more angles at children dealing with this situation. Kids all handle family matters differently but as a teacher you have to be aware of the ways that children may interpret events like in __My Two Uncles__. Young people are very impressionable to what family members do and say and can be torn between two opinions-like with Elly’s grandfather and her Uncle Ned. Children are very open minded and often don’t understand why something is considered “wrong” by another person. Teachers have to be mindful of what is going on in a child’s home life and be available to offer comfort without overstepping their boundaries, as grey areas with young students exist. This book also offers a refreshing reminder of how today’s youth care deeply for family and its well-being which can be taken into consideration with activities that bond classmates and create a family within the school room. I would share this book with my classroom because everyone can relate in some way to one of the characters. This is important in all literature so that the students feel a connection to the story and to learning. In addition, this trait will benefit them later in life with looking for links in the work world. I would also recommend this book to others because it touches on a subject that is still taboo and needs to be discussed but does so in a way that is non-threatening or biased and is realistic. __My Two Uncles__ doesn’t finish with a fairy tale ending of everyone smiling together and holding hands, but a more honest conclusion of the Grandfather beginning to make an effort at giving Ned’s way of life a chance. This reality is important to show readers that not everyone accepts differences right away but everyone can make a difference with a small step.