My Super Uncle

My Super Uncle

Dannika Patterson

Seantelle Walsh

Ford Street, 2026

32pp., hbk., RRP $a27.95

9781922696540

My friends all love my uncle
when he jokes and fools around.
To me, he’s super special
’cause he never lets me down.
I don’t need x-ray vision,
to see the way he cares.
I don’t need super senses,
to know he’ll be right there.

Families come in all shapes and sizes – always have, always will – but now, more than ever before, those shapes and sizes can not only be accepted, but be celebrated. And in this joyful story, it is the shape of a family of two mums, a child and the sperm donor – depicted in a delightful “child’s” drawing on the endpapers, an a subtle hint on the front cover – that is celebrated.

But because endpapers are often overlooked, for much of this story, it seems that the little girl is just celebrating the joy and fun she has with a special adult in her life, and their unique relationship is not revealed till the final pages. But how excited will many little readers be when they see their family structure depicted in such a happy way, not just through the rhyming text but also the warm-hearted, realistic illustrations that convey a sense that these are real people, not just book characters -as, indeed, they are. 

While first term is often a time when young students investigate and share their family structures, learning about the internal relationships between the various adults and children, comprehensive teachers’ notes offer ways to delve deeper into the story behind the story, to use the clues in the illustrations to understand that each character has their own story rather than just being a 2D representation of an anonymous, imagined person and to appreciate the diversity of family structures in the 21st century. While this might be this little girl’s story, every child has one.

In Australia, at least, we have come a long way in the last decade being able to provide and promote stories like this that strayed beyond the ‘norm’ – as recently as 2015 some principals wanted to be kept in the loop so they could field any parental complaints in an informed manner, while many teacher librarians themselves, felt that to read such inclusions without prior parental approval would be “outrageous and cause uproar” – and although there will still be concerns about sharing a story about family diversity, sexual orientation or assisted reproduction,  even though most are more than willing to share those relating to physical disabilities, mental health issues, particular illnesses and different cultural, social and religious backgrounds as we try to promote the message that these things should not define the person or their worth, IMO it is essential that we think of the child first.  Books like this are a critical element of their mental health so they see themselves and their circumstances in everyday books, are not marginalised, made to feel that they have done something wrong or are somehow different because of the choices made about and for them by the adults in their lives, and the more we share stories that celebrate diversity the more we normalise the child’s situation and experiences.  

Just like the story behind Charles M. Schultz introducing a black character into the Peanuts comic strip has been well-documented and there are stories galore of how this impacted young black readers in the US, particularly, so too must we think of those whose origins are not what is considered ‘traditional’ and as well as books like this and Guess How I was Born  and Rainbowsaurus,  among others,  the teachers’ notes also provide links to several appropriate websites including 10 Ways to Rethink the Family Tree Project – and be more inclusive to all students.

Perhaps we, as educators, can also be the superhero who doesn’t wear a cape, by starting the conversations and actively fostering inclusion and acceptance.