Author:Philippa Pearce
'Philippa Pearce's books are outstanding' - Guardian
Sid, Peggy and Amy adore the two gerbils, Bubble and Squeak, but their mother detests them. A major family battle results, and it's clear life is never going to be quite the same again. But after a near fatal encounter between Bubble and Ginger the cat, Mrs Sparrow begins to see that life with a pair of gerbils might not be so bad after all.
Families can take many different shapes and forms and this engaging book looks at animal families in all their variety in a superb celebration of family life. It's an excellent way to introduce different sorts of families - animal and human - and to show that what counts, above all, is love. The wonderful illustrations are themsselves a celebration of difference, with plenty of different approaches taken to show animal families of all sorts. A great springboard for discussion.
—— Parents in TouchAnother enjoyable story from an author who excels in giving animals real character
—— JuniorCharming
—— The Good Book GuideA delightful story
—— Waterstone's Books QuarterlyA purrrfect read for any animal lover or fan of adventure stories about out-of-the-ordinary animals
—— Stuff4KidzWould make a great gift for literary eccentrics of any age
—— The Los Angeles TimesI think Uncle stuck with me because of its combination of excess, gadgetry and eccentricity - all of which are modes of being I have attempted to emulate in my adult life. I blame J.P. Martin
—— Will SelfYou ask any class "Who's heard of Alice in Wonderland" and up goes a forest of hands. Uncle is on the same level and should be more widely read and enjoyed
—— The Junior Bookshelf[This] beautifully illustrated picture book contains a moving message about love, loss and learning to accept change
—— Marie ClaireSelected in Time Out's 100 best children's books
—— Time Out