Uncle Bobby's Wedding

by Sarah S. Brannen, Lucia Soto (Illustrator)

Chloe's favorite uncle is getting married, and she's not happy about it. But after a magical day with Uncle Bobby and his boyfriend, Jamie, Chloe realizes she's not losing an uncle, but gaining one. Selected by Kirkus Reviews as one of the best picture books of 2020 and by the American Library Association as a 2021 Rainbow Book List title, celebrate family with this gorgeous picture book.

Featured on Bank Street's Best Books of the Year list.

"A joyous, heartwarming, sweet-and essential-update." Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

"Those we love, [Soto] and Brannen show, needn't change just because they love someone else, too-there's plenty of room in the human heart." Publishers Weekly

"A large-hearted affirmation of society's newest kind of wedding." Booklist

"Valiant, valid, validating, valuable." Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked

"With warm, richly colored, and expressive illustrations by Lucia Soto, the book, published in partnership with GLAAD, serves as a gentle and welcome celebration of the different shapes love and family can take." Boston Globe

When Chloe's favorite uncle announces that he's getting married, everyone is excited. Everyone except Chloe, that is. What if Uncle Bobby no longer has time for picnics, swimming, or flying kites? Chloe just wants to keep having fun with her favorite uncle, but she's afraid everything is going to change. Can Uncle Bobby and his boyfriend Jamie show Chloe that when it comes to family, the more the merrier? In this inspiring, love-filled story, Chloe learns that she's not losing an uncle . . . she's gaining one.

Originally published in 2008 and re-imagined in 2020, Uncle Bobby's Wedding is one of the most important picture books to center the lives of LGBTQ families. In 2025, Uncle Bobby's Wedding was featured prominently in the controversial and often criticized Supreme Court of the United States case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, where this charming story about a girl and her favorite doting uncle made huge waves.

Produced in partnership with GLAAD, Uncle Bobby's Wedding is a loving celebration of a caring and thoughtful family who help a child realize that change can be good.

Genres: Picture Books, LGBT, Childrens, Family, Fiction, Banned Books, Queer

Kindle Edition

First published March 27, 2008

Reviews

[Dee (in the desert) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!!! Very, very sweet kids book about a young girl who worries about losing her favorite uncle when he marries & instead she gains another. The illustrations are gorgeous too. I just had to read this one after our corrupt SCOTUS singled it out - so GFY Scammy Alito & Uncle Thomas!!!!! 🤬😡🤬😡🤬😡

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's what I love about this book: Uncle Bobby is marrying a boy, but "gay marriage" is not brought up once. There are no questions of, can Uncle Bobby marry a boy? Why do two boys want to get married? Etc. No bullying, no questions. That has nothing to do with the plot of the book, other than the fact that there is going to a be a wedding, and it's Uncle Bobby's wedding.

It's a sweet story I think kids will be able to relate to. I remember when I was in elementary school, a close family friend got married and I immediately worried about not being able to see him or spend time with his as often.

Great story. I recommend it!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gay guinea pigs! In vests!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I am reviewing the edition published in 2020 with illustrations by Lucia Soto.
I lovedUncle Bobby's Wedding! It is so sweet and warmhearted. I think Chloe's feelings are so understandable and relatable (she's definitely less spoiled than Mia from Mini Mia and Her Darling Uncle, which has a very similar storyline.) I imagine this book feels very different featuring anthropomorphic rodents instead of humans and I'm really glad they updated it. Lucia Soto's illustrations are luminous and have such a fun, almost retro vibe--while also feeling completely contemporary (I realize the way I wrote that makes no sense, but I'm tired and want to post the review before we get too far past Pride Month! For a more detailed review of the previous edition, I really like Celia Buell's: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

[Melissa Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming story about a young girl, er, guinea pig who becomes concerned when she discovers that her beloved uncle is getting married. Will he still spend time with her? Luckily, Uncle Bobby isn't about to forget his favorite niece.

How could this kind of storyline concern some folks? Well, it seems Uncle Bobby is marring another male guinea pig. What is so wonderful--and controversial to some--about this story is that the same-sex marriage seems matter of fact. I look forward to the day when such a marraige will be just as easily accepted in real life as it is by the characters in this book.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a sweet story about homosexual guinea pigs and family, what's not to love?

[Dana Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly such a sweet little book. Wild and weird that this is what keeps Samuel Alito up at night.

[Celia Buell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uncle Bobby's Wedding is a good example of incidental LGBTQ+ representation in picture books (side note, I'm super big on incidental representation. Yes, we need the stories that are about the LGBT (or POC or disability or or or) experience, but I also just want to see stories where these people/animals exist. Because they do in the real world, and not everything is about a specific identity all the time.)

Told using anthropomorphic mice, Chloe is a young girl who doesn't know what the future holds when her uncle Bobby announces his upcoming wedding. Will she still be his favorite niece? Will they still be able to do the things they did before?

Bobby's fiancee is named Jamie, and they hint but don't clarify that Jamie is a man until around the middle of the book, when Chloe says something like, "I wish you were both my uncles." I think using a gender-neutral name is definitely a conscious decision in this world of book banning and witch hunts. It lets the reader focus on the real issues of the story.

Overall this is a story of family love and of learning to adapt to change, which is an issue that many children have to learn to handle. It shows people (or mice in this case) handling conflict and represents reality. Some people will face a new wedding of a loved one, and sometimes that loved one will marry someone of their same gender, and it shouldn't affect family relationships because love is what makes a family.

It's important to note that all later editions of the book feature people instead of mice as the main characters, where the story stays the same. I think this is a necessary change, especially since Bobby and Jamie are also depicted as people of different races. However, I also appreciate the original story with the characters (illustrations only) being mice, because I think it is very important for kids to see these relationships in literature like the things read, and a lot of kids do enjoy books where animals act like people. My school's education curriculum library has the mouse version, but I may suggest they buy the human version as well, and keep both. I think it would be an interesting study for students in the reading endorsement classes to look at both versions.

[Celia Buell (semi hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uncle Bobby's Wedding is a good example of incidental LGBTQ+ representation in picture books (side note, I'm super big on incidental representation. Yes, we need the stories that are about the LGBT (or POC or disability or or or) experience, but I also just want to see stories where these people/animals exist. Because they do in the real world, and not everything is about a specific identity all the time.)

Told using anthropomorphic mice, Chloe is a young girl who doesn't know what the future holds when her uncle Bobby announces his upcoming wedding. Will she still be his favorite niece? Will they still be able to do the things they did before?

Overall this is a story of family love and of learning to adapt to change, which is an issue that many children have to learn to handle. It shows people (or mice in this case) handling conflict and represents reality. Some people will face a new wedding of a loved one, and sometimes that loved one will marry someone of their same gender, and it shouldn't affect family relationships because love is what makes a family.

It's important to note that all later editions of the book feature people instead of mice as the main characters, where the story stays the same. I think this is a necessary change, especially since Bobby and Jamie are also depicted as people of different races. However, I also appreciate the original story with the characters (illustrations only) being mice, because I think it is very important for kids to see these relationships in literature like the things read, and a lot of kids do enjoy books where animals act like people.

Read my full review on my Goodreads account for children's books

[Greg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uncle Bobby's Wedding tells the sweet story of Chloe, a young guinea pig who worries that Uncle Bobby won’t keep having fun with her after he marries his boyfriend Jamie. Uncle Bobby explains that their special times together will not end; Chloe will not be losing an uncle, but gaining one. The book ends at the wedding, with Chloe as the enthusiastic flower girl. Though this book has a total feel good message and focuses on the truth behind a homosexual relationship, two people who just love each other, I did have a problem in the way the relationship was portrayed for the sake of a children’s' book. If you were to not look at the title and just read the book; it would not be surprising to think that Uncle Bobby is a straight man. Uncle Bobby's name is Jamie. This name does not indicate the gender of a person. Also, through out the story Jamie is depicted as being very feminine, he wears purple clothes and dances like a ballerina. Finally, why use guinea pigs to tell the story. When addressing controversial issues, it is important to be as real as possible. By having human characters, children will have an easier time relating to the story. If a child were to read this story and look at the clues surrounding each character the gender of Jamie would remain a mystery. For the sake of trying to get a message across to little children, it is important that the message is clear. Instead of using the name Jamie, the author should have chosen a name that is more gender specific. Don't use guinea pigs to tell the real story of people. The power of the message could get lost through the transformation.

[Nathan Bartos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently this was originally illustrated with the characters as guinea pigs? Just to be clear, I read the newer 2o2o version with beautiful, colorful illustrations with actual people. I liked this one a lot!

[Mario · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this updated version with beautiful (human) illustrations!

[➸ Gwen de Sade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and diverse, with very lovely illustrations.

[Miriam]

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK HAS HAPPENED

So this book, as I got it from my local library, is a sweetly charming take of a HUMAN girl named Chloe whose beloved Uncle Bobby is marrying a dude named Jamie, and no one is homophobic, and Chloe finds out she isn't losing an uncle, she's gaining an uncle, hurrah under the rainbow.

So WHY does Goodreads have a fully illustrated cover with HAMSTERS???? IN SUITS????!!! What fucked up Mandela Effect alternate timeline is this??!!!

Children's books aren't supposed to force me to question my own reality. I don't like this and I am uncomfortable. Please explain.
---
EDIT: guess what I found the hamster book (it's actually guinea pigs whoops). The text is pretty much the same, with some minor changes that don't affect the story much. Just, everyone is a guinea pig.

I am so curious why Brannen decided to republish this twelve years after the fact. And why get rid of the guinea pigs??! That was so great! I am still demanding answers.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book specifically because gay marriage was not the central issue. This is a story about Chloe and her Uncle Bobby who happens to be gay. I think it's important for children to see that gay people are just like any other people. Not every book has to be about how gay people are different, or explain the difficulties of being gay. There are plenty of books like that; this one offers something else.

[Andy Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly delightfully written and illustrated 🧒📚 depicting one child’s coming to terms with her favorite uncle getting married. She’s not so keen on this, but then it turns out she gains an extra awesome uncle (a funcle) out of the whole shebang! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[David Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Text-to-World Connection

Author Sarah Brannen presents a feel good story about a guinea pig named Chloe who is afraid she is going to lose her Uncle Bobby's love when he gets married. While the story's premise is simple enough, the book has not been without controversy. You see, Bobby is marrying a man (gasp!) and the book has been challenged several times to be removed from the children's section in libraries. Most of the time, most notably in Colorado and Missouri, the challenges have been based simply on the fact that the book presents a homosexual marriage and the people doing the challenging do not agree with the legality of the marriage. Put another way, they do not like it so no one else should read it. The problem with that line of thinking is that no one can point to a time in history where if something is ignored it will go away. Homosexual marriage exists and will continue to exist. I like the way the author writes about it as simply the backdrop of the story and not the focal point. The focal point is the relationship between Chloe and Bobby. The relationship between Bobby and Jamie stays in the background and is not mentioned a whole lot other than the illustrations.

The connection between this book and the world is that the world has changed, classrooms have changed and students have changed. Whether or not a teacher agrees with a parent's lifestyle, they still have to teach all of the kids and treat them equally. By presenting books such as this, students can see that a "normal" family is not always what is traditionally accepted and the love of family members outweighs someone else's political or moral problems.

[Olivia Miracle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uncle Bobby's Wedding by Sarah Brannen is a sweet and touching story. The relationship between Uncle Bobby and Chloe is obviously very special, serving as a vehicle for the books main messages. This book is very good for children in nontraditional families, especially for those who have single parents that may be dating or bringing new characters into a child's life. It does so because it specifically addresses the concern of children feeling like they won't get to spend the same amount of time with their loved ones with a new person in the mix. Finally, the book is also very inclusive of LGBTQ relationships without pointing it out awkwardly, or making it the whole point of the book which I especially appreciate.







exposure to different types of relationships without the entire book being focused on the relationship

[João Teixeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma história em que uma menina tem medo que o seu tio deixe de lhe dar atenção por ir casar. Esse medo acaba por se moatrar infundado, pois o tio e o seu futuro marido acabam por continuar a divertir-se com ela de diversas e variadas maneiras...
Uma história, portanto, que se centra na questão da potencial mudança da vida da personagem principal, e não no facto de o casamento ser entre pessoas do mesmo género. Abordagem interessante por ser "normalizadora" de algo que, eventualmente, ainda é olhado de lado no século XXI.
Ilustrações adoráveis.

[Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet story about Chloe and her Uncle Bobby, who is getting married, and Chloe becomes jealous and unsure about how Jamie will change her close relationship with her uncle. Perfect in tone of how children process emotions and hate uncertainty.

The art was especially beautiful. I found a copy in a free little library and shared it with my favorite toddler, who enjoyed it.

I don’t know what’s up with the guinea pig versions of this. (AI hallucinations????) But my copy was all humans with Soto’s artwork.

[Hannah Showalter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that the focus of this book wasn’t on Uncle Bobby marrying a man, but on Chloe’s anxiety about losing her uncle once he gets married. It was really sweet and I love how it naturally spoke about queerness.

[Alea's Cozy Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun queer children's book with beautiful illustrations and a sweet story about a young girl and her uncle Bobby whom she is very close with. The family dynamic was very sweet! A solid read.

[Sorcha O'Dowd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this at work before I shelved it, and legitimately had a little sob behind the till. Stunning book.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely beautiful little picture book about a girl who’s worried she’s going to lose her favourite uncle when he gets married… only to realise that his husband is the best 🥹 the illustrations are so gorgeous, this book got me stupid emotion before work this morning!
5 stars

[Sirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Chloe's favorite uncle announces he's getting married, Chloe is worried they won't spend as much time together. But as she gets to know Jamie, she realizes that having another uncle will make thing even more fun.

I can't help but feel that this book went a little out of it's way to have Chloe say "I wish Bobby and Jamie could both be my uncles." But it's still cute, and I love the illustrations.

[Diva Dina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Erin Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book because I also have an Uncle who is in a samesex relationship, it made this book very easy for me to related to on a personal level.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful, hardback picture book, Uncle Bobby's Wedding is Sarah S. Brannen, and illustrated just gorgeously by Lucia Soto. This is such a glorious book to behold, the colours, the lines and shapes to the drawings, from the cover, throughout the story, and even to the patterned endpapers, all are really lovely. It's a warm-hearted, kind tale of a young girl called Chloe, who loves spending time with her favourite uncle Bobby, and so when she finds out that he is going to get married, she's scared that she'll lose him. But she quickly understands that she'll still have uncle Bobby in her life, and also a new uncle too, Jamie, his partner. It's lovely to see this happy relationship represented here, and to read how happy Chloe is to be part of the wedding day too.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad this book got a refresh. The original Illustrations had guinea pigs as characters. It's nice to see the story with humans.
2021 Rainbow List Picture Book Fiction

[Jelka]

I love the intent of this book.
But now that I know that originally all the characters were guinea pigs, I'm kind of dissappointed with the new version. :)

Though, I think, using human characters gets the book's message across much clearer.
The actual story is pretty basic.