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Younguncle #1
Younguncle Comes to Town
As the siblings await the arrival of their father's youngest brother in their small town in northern India, the excitement builds as talk of his grand adventures, such as charming an angry tree ghost and feeding a tiger, takes over the event and increases their curiosity.
153 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
Vandana Singh
198 books219 followersVandana Singh was born and raised in India and currently lives in the Boston area, where she is a professor of physics at Framingham State University, and a science fiction writer. Although her Ph.D. is in particle physics, in recent years she has been working on the transdisciplinary scholarship of climate change, focusing on innovative pedagogies. She has collaborated with the Center for Science and the Imagination three times, twice on climate change–related projects. Her first collaboration (a story for Project Hieroglyph) led to the start of her academic work in the area, resulting in a case study of Arctic climate change as part of a program award from the American Association of Colleges and Universities, for which she traveled to the Alaskan North Shore in 2014. She was also a participant in a re-enactment of “The Dare,” as part of the Year Without a Winter Project, and has contributed a story to the upcoming anthology (forthcoming from Columbia University Press in 2018). She has been an invited panelist for the National Academy of Sciences working group on interdisciplinarity in STEM, and has taught in and/or co-led summer workshops on climate change for middle and high school teachers.
Vandana’s short fiction has been widely published to critical acclaim, and many of her stories have been reprinted in Year’s Best collections. Her North American debut is a second short story collection, Ambiguity Machines and Other Stories (Small Beer Press) that was No. 1 on Publisher’s Weekly’s Top Ten in Science Fiction when it came out in February 2018, and earned praise from Wired, the Washington Post, and the Seattle Times, among others. Locus Magazine’s Gary K. Wolfe refers to her as “one of the most compelling and original voices in recent SF.”
Vandana’s short fiction has been widely published to critical acclaim, and many of her stories have been reprinted in Year’s Best collections. Her North American debut is a second short story collection, Ambiguity Machines and Other Stories (Small Beer Press) that was No. 1 on Publisher’s Weekly’s Top Ten in Science Fiction when it came out in February 2018, and earned praise from Wired, the Washington Post, and the Seattle Times, among others. Locus Magazine’s Gary K. Wolfe refers to her as “one of the most compelling and original voices in recent SF.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 3, 2010
Ursula K LeGuin praised this book saying, "Anyone who reads this will be perfectly happy." I couldn't agree more! Younguncle is a delight, one of my favorite children's book characters in a long time. He blends humor, whimsy, wisdom and a remarkable sensitivity to children and all of humanity with a panache for storytelling and for finding adventures in the midst of mundane life. The setting really comes to life, I loved all the Indian foods and landscapes--even the adventure of riding on a bus that is so foreign to Americans used to tame Greyhounds! The only thing preventing me from giving this five stars is that I wanted MORE. Which I suppose shouldn't be a criticism of the book, exactly, but I just longed for more sense of completion or deeper character development for a few of the characters... it was really more like a set of stories, with Younguncle at the center. The end says "The End... for now" and it looks like there is, indeed, another book Younguncle in the Himalayas so I guess I get my wish :-)
I really am not sure what the target age group for this book is... It was shelved in the Young Adult section of our library, but then the children in the book are all ten and under and, while I do think some of the nuances and humor would be lost on younger children, the format with the variety of stories does seem more suited for a younger audience than YA. That said, my husband and I both completely enjoyed this!
I really am not sure what the target age group for this book is... It was shelved in the Young Adult section of our library, but then the children in the book are all ten and under and, while I do think some of the nuances and humor would be lost on younger children, the format with the variety of stories does seem more suited for a younger audience than YA. That said, my husband and I both completely enjoyed this!
March 5, 2020
From the shirt-eating baby to the paneer-eating tiger - not to mention the eponymous hero - the characters in Vandana Singh's debut children's book are endearingly idiosyncratic, humorously entertaining, and altogether charming. This all-too-brief chapter-book chronicles some of the adventures of Younguncle - a sweet-tempered, open-minded young man, with a horror of being tied down, either to career or wife - who comes to live with his elder brother's family, and quickly becomes the favorite companion of his nephew and two nieces. Whether he's rescuing the local dairyman's cow or recovering his great-uncle's stolen horse, Younguncle always seems to know just what to do, resolving crisis after crisis in clever and amusing ways. He even finds a way to extricate his little sister from her engagement to an unexpectedly boorish young man! As Sarita, Ravi and the baby discover, once Youngucle comes to town, nothing is ever the same again...
Chosen as our September selection in The International Children's Book Club to which I belong, where we try to read a children's book from a different country each month, Younguncle Comes to Town was originally published in India, by New Delhi-based Zubaan Books. How fortunate that Viking picked it up for publication in the states, as now American children will also have the opportunity to read it! Not only is it a lighthearted introduction to life in northern India - the monsoon rains, the periodic invasion of the local monkey population, the crowded bus-rides - it is just a fun-filled, warmhearted, entertaining romp of a book, in its own right. I found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion while reading it. Younguncle's admonition to his sister that they are not living in a silly Bollywood film, his reflection that a particularly ostentatious pink mansion must be the product of a "disturbed mind," his sister-in-law's habit of Speaking in Capitals - they all had me chuckling! The depiction of the baby's ongoing crusade to find a shirt of Younguncle's to eat was the best of all, though, and had me in stitches:
"Although the heat had adversely affected the enterprise and energy levels of the two older children, the baby was just as usual. She spent her spare time crawling about the house, pulling herself up along a sofa or chair, waiting for Younguncle to relax his guard. The baby's chief ambition in life was to find and consume an entire shirt of Younguncle's, and Younguncle knew this. Although they loved each other very much, Younguncle and the baby had completely different ideas on the meaning and purpose of shirts. And one day the baby got her chance."
Hilarious! I closed this book with a strong desire to read the sequel, Younguncle in the Himalayas . Here's hoping Viking published that as well! If not, it will have to be yet another book order from abroad...
Chosen as our September selection in The International Children's Book Club to which I belong, where we try to read a children's book from a different country each month, Younguncle Comes to Town was originally published in India, by New Delhi-based Zubaan Books. How fortunate that Viking picked it up for publication in the states, as now American children will also have the opportunity to read it! Not only is it a lighthearted introduction to life in northern India - the monsoon rains, the periodic invasion of the local monkey population, the crowded bus-rides - it is just a fun-filled, warmhearted, entertaining romp of a book, in its own right. I found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion while reading it. Younguncle's admonition to his sister that they are not living in a silly Bollywood film, his reflection that a particularly ostentatious pink mansion must be the product of a "disturbed mind," his sister-in-law's habit of Speaking in Capitals - they all had me chuckling! The depiction of the baby's ongoing crusade to find a shirt of Younguncle's to eat was the best of all, though, and had me in stitches:
"Although the heat had adversely affected the enterprise and energy levels of the two older children, the baby was just as usual. She spent her spare time crawling about the house, pulling herself up along a sofa or chair, waiting for Younguncle to relax his guard. The baby's chief ambition in life was to find and consume an entire shirt of Younguncle's, and Younguncle knew this. Although they loved each other very much, Younguncle and the baby had completely different ideas on the meaning and purpose of shirts. And one day the baby got her chance."
Hilarious! I closed this book with a strong desire to read the sequel, Younguncle in the Himalayas . Here's hoping Viking published that as well! If not, it will have to be yet another book order from abroad...
October 31, 2013
Amazingly cute. A good candidate for a read aloud aloud (with cultural backgrounds for children.) I love the author's word choice.
For example: The baby's chief ambition in life was to find and consume an entire shirt of Younguncle's, and Younguncle knew this. Although they loved each other very much, Younguncle and the baby had completely different ideas on the meaning and purpose of shirts." (58)
"Just as she was contemplating her latest biological classification scheme(based on the number of legs a creature had, so that cars and cows belonged to one family, and humans, birds, and bicycles to another)..."
"The tiger, convinced he was in a surreal dream, padded cautiously up to the food. He snapped up a leg of mutton. The flavors burst upon his tongue. the tiger licked his lips and bent to the feast, marveling that such wonders existed in the gastronomic world. More than anything, the spinach paneer seemed to have been concocted by some celestial cook especially for the tiger's palate. All that he had tasted before this banquet was crude by comparison."
For example: The baby's chief ambition in life was to find and consume an entire shirt of Younguncle's, and Younguncle knew this. Although they loved each other very much, Younguncle and the baby had completely different ideas on the meaning and purpose of shirts." (58)
"Just as she was contemplating her latest biological classification scheme(based on the number of legs a creature had, so that cars and cows belonged to one family, and humans, birds, and bicycles to another)..."
"The tiger, convinced he was in a surreal dream, padded cautiously up to the food. He snapped up a leg of mutton. The flavors burst upon his tongue. the tiger licked his lips and bent to the feast, marveling that such wonders existed in the gastronomic world. More than anything, the spinach paneer seemed to have been concocted by some celestial cook especially for the tiger's palate. All that he had tasted before this banquet was crude by comparison."
April 23, 2011
This book is delightful. The plot summary does not really reveal what an amusing collection of stories it is. While book is in some ways about three children, whose uncle comes to live with their family in India, it is more about how their uncle dances in and out of their lives having adventures and making friends and solving problems. Really this is Younguncle's story and stories he tells the kids, who are not well developed as characters--except the baby, whose goal is to eat one of Younguncle's shirts.
This is a great Summer Reading Club selection for one world many stories, because it is many stories that are so well immersed in the Indian culture. It is not depressing, though there is some poverty and some hardship, but it is fun and funny. I will be book talking this one!
This is a great Summer Reading Club selection for one world many stories, because it is many stories that are so well immersed in the Indian culture. It is not depressing, though there is some poverty and some hardship, but it is fun and funny. I will be book talking this one!
September 8, 2015
I came upon this after reading some of the author's quite terrific science fiction short stories. This book is totally different but just as wonderful, lovely, charming and so fun. It reminded me of Amelia Bedelia or that kind of children's book where the character seems silly but is actually quite wise. It isn't as goofy as that, and that stories are more fully-fleshed out and complete short stories than in some of the short children's books of my childhood. They bring the setting in India to life, all of the colors and foods, plants and animals are all vividly portrayed. And Younguncle kept me grinning throughout, and sometimes laughing out loud. I would highly recommend this book for parents to read with their children and as a terrific gift item.
February 26, 2008
What a character Younguncle is! I loved these stories of Younguncle and his adventures--how he solves problems and outsmarts the bad guys. They reminded me of something else I've read, but at the moment I can't remember what--although the baby reminded me of Sunny Baudelaire in the Lemony Snickett books. I would love to see another book (and another and another) of these tales. Oh please, Vandana, write more!!
January 6, 2012
This is a sweet story about a family in India with three young children who are delighted when their very unusual uncle Younguncle comes to live with the family.
Younguncle is definitely outside the box and has a lot of adventures that will delight the reader. Whether he is acting like a monkey to get his sister out of an unhappy planned marriage or setting homeless birds loose in the garden , everyone should join Younguncle on his adventures.
Younguncle is definitely outside the box and has a lot of adventures that will delight the reader. Whether he is acting like a monkey to get his sister out of an unhappy planned marriage or setting homeless birds loose in the garden , everyone should join Younguncle on his adventures.
July 31, 2015
Younguncle: What every uncle should aspire to be. :)
And who can dislike ghosts that read books. Upside down.
Didn't like the illustrations much. Didn't match the impression of Younguncle I formed in my head.
And who can dislike ghosts that read books. Upside down.
Didn't like the illustrations much. Didn't match the impression of Younguncle I formed in my head.
July 24, 2024
A fun book for Young Adults that echoes a lost lifestyle of living in villages and towns in small communities. I had heard so much about this book (originally published by Young Zubaan), but I couldn't get it anywhere back in mid 2000s. So happy to have finally read it even though I read it for work.
August 22, 2012
After I read The Woman Who Thought She Was a Planet, I immediately sought out any other books by Vandana Singh available at the libraries to which I belong. This turned out to be only one -- a children's chapter book called Younguncle Comes to Town.
Younguncle is the youngest uncle of the three children in the story, but he was called Younguncle even when he was a child, because it just seemed to fit. Younguncle is a very jolly young man who is very good at making friends with everyone. He is impulsive and unconventional and very good at making everything around him more interesting and imaginative. This makes him terrible at adult things like holding a steady job or impressing with his sister's stuffy future in-laws, but it means he's a wonderful uncle. (And a wonderful brother, too, when the sister realizes that she really doesn't want to marry that guy after all.)
After Younguncle, my second favorite character is his baby niece, always referred to as the baby. She cannot talk yet but she always listens. Although she loves Younguncle, who entertains her by reading her physics textbooks, she is also his worst adversary because she is determined to eat one of his shirts.
Younguncle's adventures often begin with charming mishaps, such as his short-lived career as a railway station manager (during which period his greatest interest was in learning to imitate all the different sounds that trains make), but end by his righting an injustice (his sister's unfortunate engagement, the theft of a cow, and even the reign of a family of criminals). He maintains that one good reason for all of his adventures is to collect stories to tell his nieces and nephew.
He's sort of a combination of Mary Poppins and Robin Hood.
Younguncle is the youngest uncle of the three children in the story, but he was called Younguncle even when he was a child, because it just seemed to fit. Younguncle is a very jolly young man who is very good at making friends with everyone. He is impulsive and unconventional and very good at making everything around him more interesting and imaginative. This makes him terrible at adult things like holding a steady job or impressing with his sister's stuffy future in-laws, but it means he's a wonderful uncle. (And a wonderful brother, too, when the sister realizes that she really doesn't want to marry that guy after all.)
After Younguncle, my second favorite character is his baby niece, always referred to as the baby. She cannot talk yet but she always listens. Although she loves Younguncle, who entertains her by reading her physics textbooks, she is also his worst adversary because she is determined to eat one of his shirts.
Younguncle's adventures often begin with charming mishaps, such as his short-lived career as a railway station manager (during which period his greatest interest was in learning to imitate all the different sounds that trains make), but end by his righting an injustice (his sister's unfortunate engagement, the theft of a cow, and even the reign of a family of criminals). He maintains that one good reason for all of his adventures is to collect stories to tell his nieces and nephew.
He's sort of a combination of Mary Poppins and Robin Hood.
September 7, 2012
I liked this short chapter book about a quirky young man in India visiting his nieces and nephews and having several unusual adventures. Some of these adventures include playing tennis ball catch with wild monkeys, helping his sister-in-law escape an arranged marriage by acting insane, and rescuing his stolen horse by feeding a wild tiger spicy food. The writing is wonderful; it was easy to imagine the vibrant settings and stories. It is funny and has a great use of a wide vocabulary. I particularly loved the "baby" who was always the most demanding and discriminating, such as when she requested a hair from the tiger's tail.
I was not fond of the illustrations. There were not many of them, but what was there did not seem to capture the flavor of the book. This book only earned three stars from me simply because I am not partial to the short-story format in which a character has several adventures, without one overriding plot. I do not think my personal preference should dissuade readers however, as this style does actually work well with this book.
I would recommend this to third through fifth graders, possibly advanced readers in second grade. Many of my Midwestern small-town students might benefit from some background on India, as much of the humor and vocabulary is specific to that part of the world. I wonder a bit if the humor I found it would be accessible to children without the knowledge of Indian culture, such as arranged marriages. However, similar statements could surely be made about any book subject for kids, from science and historical fiction to stories about pirates, so this is a minor thing. It would make a really interesting read aloud.
I was not fond of the illustrations. There were not many of them, but what was there did not seem to capture the flavor of the book. This book only earned three stars from me simply because I am not partial to the short-story format in which a character has several adventures, without one overriding plot. I do not think my personal preference should dissuade readers however, as this style does actually work well with this book.
I would recommend this to third through fifth graders, possibly advanced readers in second grade. Many of my Midwestern small-town students might benefit from some background on India, as much of the humor and vocabulary is specific to that part of the world. I wonder a bit if the humor I found it would be accessible to children without the knowledge of Indian culture, such as arranged marriages. However, similar statements could surely be made about any book subject for kids, from science and historical fiction to stories about pirates, so this is a minor thing. It would make a really interesting read aloud.
July 5, 2013
I love the character Younguncle; he is cute, eccentric, enthusiastic, and clever. this is a short book with some of his adventures, where he often helps solve a village or individual problem. It is set in India.
The only problem I had with it was in the last few pages. in the book it details some fun and interesting things Younguncle does, but in the final chapter it suddenly mentions how he did some other things, but it goes into no detail at all. Don't tell me about something that happened unless you are actually going to go into detail about it! I really dislike it when an author says something along the lines "but that's a story for another day." It drives me crazy because it is like the book is just giving me a brief overview to "spare" me, when I want to know exactly what happened.
The only problem I had with it was in the last few pages. in the book it details some fun and interesting things Younguncle does, but in the final chapter it suddenly mentions how he did some other things, but it goes into no detail at all. Don't tell me about something that happened unless you are actually going to go into detail about it! I really dislike it when an author says something along the lines "but that's a story for another day." It drives me crazy because it is like the book is just giving me a brief overview to "spare" me, when I want to know exactly what happened.
December 8, 2016
A very curious and creative man named “YoungUncle” came to pick his children and take care of them and had many adventures in the past. He is met with a conflict that made him do strange things. He needs to save a donkey from getting eaten for a tiger who is getting hunted. Will YoungUncle be able to save the donkey? The theme to this book is never judge someone by their actions. This is the theme because YoungUncle does strange things and people thinks he's mental but he is actually doing these things to help his friends. I think that this is a okay book because some of the story line is mixed up for example at the beginning it talks about YoungUncle getting the children then it talks about how Interesting YoungUncle is. I will say ages 10+ would read this because some of the words are complex.
January 4, 2013
It's disarmingly simple enough for a child to enjoy, yet it's got a certain sneaky sarcasm which makes it the kind of story an adult would love to read as well. It's most definitely not preachy, but it has no qualms about poking fun of our middle class mentality, our everyday what I like to call 'Indianisms' ( which includes our need to know everything about our neighbours and making up English like words by attaching '-isms' at the end).
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January 4, 2012
This is a darling book about Younguncle and some of his adventures. Younguncle is (of course) not his real name, but he doesn't even remember his real name so everyone calls him Younguncle. Set in India, Younguncle has adventures on a crowded bus, retrieves a stolen horse and a stolen cow, helps an old tiger (who develops a love for spinach paneer), and makes friends with monkeys and children alike. Quick read but just such fun.
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October 25, 2013Three kids and a nameless baby have a strange young uncle who travels around India (nobody, including his family, remembers his name! Everybody just calls him Younguncle). Now he comes to live with the kids' family, and some wild adventures begin. He goes from calming down a ghost in a tree, breaking up his sister's wedding because she doesn't want to marry the bridegroom, to tricking a crooked moneylender--and all in a very matter-of-fact way. Everyone needs an uncle like Younguncle!
May 13, 2015
I brought this book as a gift for my cousin but I couldn't help myself it was quite small and I read it.This is a children's novel but I would recommend this for any adultwho is open-minded or anyone else who wants a good laugh or make your children laugh
Vandana Singh presents her characters in the most delightfull little way
To read more click on the blog below
http://ghostreviews.in/2015/05/youngu...
Vandana Singh presents her characters in the most delightfull little way
To read more click on the blog below
http://ghostreviews.in/2015/05/youngu...
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February 4, 2016Younguncle is India's "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle." Younguncle has come to town to visit his brother, sister-in-law and their kids. He is a well-traveled free spirit with few responsibilities but many interesting stories. He is able to cleverly solve problems in the village such as recovering a stolen cow and saving his sister from an arranged marriage she doesn't want. Charming and perfect for a readaloud.
September 24, 2010
This was a super awesome book about a very talented man called 'younguncle'. Even his own parents call him younguncle. But he is a super hilarious and adventurous guy with a weird name who always keeps his promises. Even when the promise is to get a real hair from a real tiger from its real tail. This was a great book:))
June 20, 2011
Despite the crazy love for this book shown in the comments below, I'm going to rain on Younguncle's parade. It's the type of kids' book that adults love, but I'm not so sure kids will. The vocabulary is crazy difficult, there are some wacky philosophical elements and then there's the fact that it seems aimed at a younger age group than could practically enjoy it.
August 3, 2018
I have been trying to read a variety of multi-cultural titles because I like fun stories with life lessons I was particularly surprised at the adventure that I found within its pages. I encourage all readers to become familiar with this author, and follow his journeys. My mother was correct, you can travel while reading. Do enjoy.
July 26, 2012
Younguncle is sort of a grown-up Pippi Longstocking, a magical figure who befriends monkeys and bends tigers to his bidding. What nephew wouldn't be dazzled when this character from father's stories comes to town, turning dull routine on its head?
September 9, 2015
Delightful stories only slightly marred by illustrations that don't live up to them. You'll want to eat up these stories like the baby wants to eat one of Younguncle's shirts, but you'll be more successful at it.
April 24, 2019
Full of whimsy and a lot of silliness with the comfort that all of the exploits end well. Originally published and beautifully set in India, this is a wonderful OwnVoices book for home and classroom libraries. This would be a fun read-aloud for second or third grade.
April 18, 2008
This would be a very lovely family read aloud if I had children to read it to. Quite funny and exotic. India!
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September 9, 2008really funny!
Want to Read
June 15, 2009(rec from Rachel)
August 25, 2009
Okay, so it's a children's book. Nicely written with great imagery. Recommended for adults with one evening to read or kids who can just abotu handle chapter books.
November 5, 2009
More a collection of stories that a novel, but extremely entertaining. I'll be looking for others in this series for grades 3 and up. Some pretty sophisticated vocabulary!
January 21, 2011
good book, fun read, and worth the 2 hours it took me to read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews