Losing Uncle Tim

Losing Uncle Tim is a children's book written by MaryKate Jordan with illustrations by Judith Friedman. The book was published in 1989 by Albert Whitman & Co., and tells the story of a boy dealing with the death of his uncle due to AIDS. The book was criticized by parents at the time due to its overly realistic take on adult themes in a children's book.

Losing Uncle Tim
AuthorMaryKate Jordan
IllustratorJudith Friedman
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreChildren's book
PublisherAlbert Whitman & Co.
Publication date
1989
Awards
ISBN978-0-8075-4758-8

Plot

Tim is Daniel's uncle and favorite person to spend time with and play games. As time goes on, though, Tim starts going out of his home less and less, eventually stopping completely. Daniel learns that his uncle has AIDS, and that's the reason he feels sick all the time. Daniel and his parents take care of uncle Tim, but he eventually dies from his condition.

Reception

Losing Uncle Tim was classified by librarians at the time as a bibliotherapy book,[1][2] and, although children's books have had adult themes present in them for the past couple decades, it was seen as a shift to a more realistic approach to those themes.[3] Books like Losing Uncle Tim received pushback from parents, who were worried the realism in those stories could be traumatizing to kids.[1][3]

The book received the Lambda Literary Award for Children's/Young Adult Fiction in 1990.[4]

References
  1. "'Realist fiction' find audience among young readers and parents". The Daily Journal. Indiana. The Associated Press. 16 November 1992. p. 6. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  2. Ouzts, Dan T. (1991). "The Emergence of Bibliotherapy as a Discipline". Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts. 31 (3). Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  3. Lawson, Carol (10 November 1990). "Candid tales introduce kids to reality". The Miami Herald. Florida. p. 55. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  4. "Children's authors set panel on practical aspects of craft". The Berkshire Eagle. Massachusetts. 19 June 1997. p. 13. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
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