Uncle James

by Marc Harshman

As a young boy and his family endure hard times on their Indiana farm, they look forward to the letters and promises of help from their uncle out west

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1993

About the author

Marc Harshman is the poet laureate of West Virginia, appointed by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin in May 2012. His poems have appeared in such publications as Shenandoah, The Georgia Review, The Progressive, Appalachian Heritage, Bateau, and Fourteen Hills. Other poems have been anthologized by Kent State University, the University of Iowa, University of Georgia, and the University of Arizona.

His eleven children's books include ONLY ONE, a Reading Rainbow review title on PBS TV and THE STORM, a Junior Library Guild selection and Smithsonian Notable Book Parent's Choice Award recipient. Booklist has called this same title "a knowing book that will speak to all children about self-image and hard-won success."

Mr. Harshman was honored in 1994 by receiving the Ezra Jack Keats/ Kerlan Collection Fellowship from the University of Minnesota for research of Scandinavian myth and folklore. He was also named the West Virginia State English Teacher of the Year by the West Virginia English Language Arts Council in 1995. More recently, he was named the recipient of the WV Arts Commission Fellowship in Poetry for the year 2000 and the Fellowship in Children's Literature for 2008. His children's titles have been published in Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Danish, and Swedish.

Marc is fondly known by many as a storyteller who served for over twenty years as a judge for the WV Liar's Contest held at the Vandalia Gathering in Charleston, WV. He has also served as an instructor for the historic Appalachian Writer's Workshop at the Hindman Settlement School in Hindman, KY.

Marc holds degrees from Bethany College, Yale Divinity School, and the University of Pittsburgh. He recently received an honorary doctorate from Bethany College in recognition of his life's work.

In honor of West Virginia's Sesquicentennial, Marc was commissioned by the Wheeling National Heritage Area to write a poem celebrating this event. This poem, "A Song for West Virginia," was presented in both Charleston and Wheeling as part of the day-long festivities held that day.

Reviews

[Liv Nash · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a safe way to approach family situations like alcoholism, poverty, and abuse. Almost every classroom has someone that could benefit from this story. It doesn't necessarily need to be read aloud to the classroom. If it is available for children to read by themselves, it can help in different ways.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is a great way to bring up difficult topics to kids, like alcoholism. It is through the eyes of the child so it may be relatable to kids, especially out of a whole classroom. Illustrations were pretty good as well.

[Sam]

This is a story about a poor farming family who lost the father and is trusting that their mothers brother will come back and help them. Eventually he comes back but is poorer than they are and now a drunk. He eventually gets back to his normal self and works to help out the family.