The Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles

K-Gr 4–Leo and his uncle have a strained relationship. Leo is less than thrilled that Uncle Mo is babysitting while his mom is away. As soon as Uncle Mo picks Leo up at dance class, the list of onerous rules begins. As Leo is about to call Uncle Mo the “worst,” their car plunges off the road and lands in the Secret Society of Aunts and Uncles. Met by the exemplary pair of Great-Aunt Gloria and Uncle Munkle Carbunkle, both of whom could star in an origin story in their own right, Mo is put through a series of challenges to prove his status as an uncle. He fails miserably as he really knows nothing about his nephew and has to undergo basic training to improve. Santat’s illustrations extend the story with hilarity, absurdity, and tenderness. Leo and Uncle Mo connect, and a tight bond is formed. There are still lessons to be learned in “advanced courses’’ and readers will hope for a sequel.