After the death of her parents, Delrita Jensen, age 13, tries to protect her loveable and vulnerable 35-year-old Uncle Punky from being heckled and teased because of his Downs Syndrome. She does not approve of her Aunt Queenie's decision to send Punky to a sheltered workshop and wishes she and Punky could remain hidden in the safety of home. Encouraged by Punky's reaction to his new friends and activities, Delrita learns to spread her wings and fly.
Summary courtesy of http://waw.emporia.edu/winners/winner94-95.htm
I would use this book in my classroom to show how important the themes in the book are in our lives as well. Down-syndrome is a very prominent thing in our society and a lot of people have had no experience with a person with Downs. Even though they aren't getting physical contact with Punky, they are still exposed to the way they act through the literature.
Wood, June Rae. The Man Who Loved Clowns. New York: Puffin, 2005. Print.
ISBN: 0142404225
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