title: Uncle (novel)
text: # Uncle (novel)
  
  Uncle (1964) is a children's novel written by J. P. Martin, the first book of six forming the Uncle series. It is named after the main character, a rich philanthropic elephant who lives in a huge fantastical castle populated by many other eccentric animals and people. It was illustrated, like the others in the series, by Quentin Blake.
  
  ## Plot summary
  
  The book introduces the main characters in the series; Uncle, his helpers, including the Old Monkey, Cloutman, Gubbins and the One-Armed Badger, and his enemies, the Badfort crowd, including Beaver Hateman, Sigismund Hateman, Nailrod Hateman, Filljug Hateman, Jellytussle, Hootman and Hitmouse. After a series of incidents, the Badfort crowd construct a cinema with a hidden iron cage in which they trap Uncle, who is then rescued by a surprise attack by his allies.
  
  ## Reprint
  
  The book was reprinted in paperback in 2000 by Red Fox (ISBN 0099411415). It was reprinted in a facsimile hardback edition by the New York Review of Books in 2007 and again in 2009 (ISBN 1590172396).
  
  