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Illustrated cover showing a colorful apartment building with balconies across three levels. Different uncles are seen in their windows and on balconies—watering plants, cooking, relaxing with a cat, listening to music, and chatting—while children peek over the railings above. The title “Funcles” appears in large green lettering across the center.

Funcles

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Written by

Illustrated by

Translated by

About this story

A joyful celebration of community and culture, FUNCLES follows one child’s discovery that family isn’t just about blood. It’s about love, laughter, and the everyday people who care. After all, every kid deserves some FUNcles!

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Illustrated cover showing a colorful apartment building with balconies across three levels. Different uncles are seen in their windows and on balconies—watering plants, cooking, relaxing with a cat, listening to music, and chatting—while children peek over the railings above. The title “Funcles” appears in large green lettering across the center.

Book Details

When a school assignment asks for a family tree, one child knows he’ll need more than one sheet. He has a gazillion uncles! From Bus Uncle to Supermarket Uncle, everywhere he goes, someone’s looking out for him. But when Ma and Pa explain that none of these uncles are blood relatives, he’s crushed, until he realises that they’re not fake uncles...they’re FUNcles! 


This warm and funny picture book celebrates the aunties, uncles, and neighbours who help raise us, rooted in a cultural tradition of respect and connection. 


FUNCLES is a joyful story about love, belonging, and the beautiful ways community becomes family.


"Fong, also Singaporean, amps up the fun, matching Mody’s inviting energy with wonderfully complementary Technicolor art. The child’s family has brown skin; the funcles, like the child’s classmates, are diverse. An endearing, welcoming tribute to all manner of extended families."

— Kirkus Reviews


"This endearing and lovely tribute to honouring the people in our wider community is a delightful read, and particularly relatable for any children from a culture that calls men and women in the wider community “uncle” and “auntie” as a term of endearment."

— BookTrust


"A joyful children’s book celebrating connection, diversity and the people who enrich young lives."

— DESIblitz

Awards & Accolades:

BookTrust's New Children's Books We Love October 2026

Books For Topics' Ones to Watch for Autumn 2026

School Library Journal's Highly Anticipated Books for Fall 2026

Book Specifications:

Age Range:

2-5

Page Count:

32

Country:

Singapore

Region:

Southeastern Asia

Sold in:

UK, US & Canada, AUS & NZ

HB ISBN:

9781836290506 (UK; US; ANZ)

PB ISBN:

N/A

Themes:

Cultures & Immigration, Family, Friends, Community, Race & Ethnicity

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