The Man Who Loved Clowns

The Man Who Loved Clowns by June Rae Wood is a young adult novel about a teenage girl, Delrita, who lives with her Uncle Punky, who has Down syndrome. Wood based the novel on her personal experience growing up with her brother, Richard, who had Down syndrome. The Man Who Loved Clowns was published in 1992 and won the Mark Twain Award in 1995. Wood published a sequel, Turtle on a Fence Post, in 1997.

This study guide refers to the 2005 Puffin Books print edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of bullying, ableism, and death. In addition, the source text uses offensive, outdated terms for people with disabilities, which are reproduced in this guide only in direct quotes.

Plot Summary

Delrita Jensen is 13 years old and in eighth grade in Tangle Nook, Missouri. She doesn’t have any friends at school and sometimes thinks of herself as “invisible” because no one at school seems to notice her. She doesn’t mind, though—she doesn’t want to make any friends because she’s afraid of the other kids finding out about her Uncle Punky, who has Down syndrome. When Delrita brought home friends from school in the past, they either laughed at Punky or were afraid of him.

One day at the beginning of the school year, a new student named Avanelle Shackleford starts at the Tangle Nook school. Delrita and Avanelle share a textbook in math class and have a few classes together. Avanelle tries to befriend Delrita on her first day, but, not wanting to be friends, Delrita barely responds. 

When Delrita gets home that day, her mom is making a cake for Punky’s birthday. It’s his 35th birthday, which makes Delrita anxious. People with Down syndrome often don’t live past 40. Due to his Down syndrome, Punky’s mental age is about that of an eight- or nine-year-old, and Delrita loves him as though he were her little brother. 

Delrita’s Uncle Bert and Aunt Queenie come over for dinner to celebrate Punky’s birthday. Delrita doesn’t like it when Aunt Queenie visits because she always criticizes the way Delrita’s parents care for Punky. Queenie thinks Punky should have a job and more structure in his life, but Delrita’s parents let him live how he wants. They try to protect him and don’t like for him to go out in public very often—they don’t want people to laugh at or insult him.

Delrita’s main hobby is woodcarving, and she’s working on a carving of a swan. She first became interested in the craft when she visited Silver Dollar City, a theme park that also sells antiques and handcrafts, and saw the expert woodcarver making a figure of a flying swan. Delrita is working on a swan with its wings folded because she doesn’t think she’s skilled enough to handle the small parts of the outstretched wings. Frustratingly, every time she tries to carve the swan, she ends up snapping the neck by accident.

One day, Delrita goes to McDonald’s with her family. Punky loves McDonald’s because he loves Ronald McDonald, and all clowns for that matter. Delrita remembers that Avanelle lives near the restaurant, so she walks to her house to collect the math book that they share. Delrita is surprised to see that Avanelle has five siblings and another baby on the way, and her family doesn’t seem to have much money. 

One of Avanelle’s younger sisters tells Delrita that their father is in prison. Avanelle seems embarrassed that Delrita has seen her family and house, but Delrita understands how she feels. On Sunday, Delrita and her family go to church, and she sees Avanelle there with her entire family. They are all kind to Punky, which pleases Delrita. She likes the family and starts to develop a crush on Avanelle’s older brother, Tree.

A few days later, Delrita and her family take a trip to Silver Dollar City. Delrita’s parents drop off Punky and Delrita and drive to a nearby auction. While Delrita and Punky are in the woodcarving workshop with Whittlin’ Walt, the expert woodcarver, they learn that Delrita’s parents were killed in a tragic car accident. 

Delrita is shocked and devastated, but Punky doesn’t understand the situation. Uncle Bert and Aunt Queenie become their legal guardians, and living with them is a tough adjustment. Aunt Queenie’s preoccupation with tidiness and order annoys Delrita, and Punky’s messy and unruly behavior bothers Aunt Queenie. Queenie insists that Punky should join the sheltered workshop, a supervised workshop staffed by people with disabilities, but Delrita thinks that she is being selfish and that joining the workshop would be bad for Punky.

Delrita starts to spend time at Avanelle’s house after school, and the two quickly become best friends. She learns that both Tree and Aunt Queenie volunteer at Special Olympics practice sessions. Delrita and Avanelle go to the homecoming parade. The sheltered workshop has a car in the parade, and Delrita notices that no one laughs as they pass. Avanelle and Tree both reassure Delrita that Punky would enjoy the workshop. 

Delrita accompanies Punky on his first day at the workshop. She is surprised to see how happy all the employees are, and Punky makes friends immediately. Uncle Bert explains to Delrita that Aunt Queenie has a good heart and that being overly rigid and organized is how she copes with the fact that she could never have children. Delrita feels guilty for treating her aunt poorly and starts to see her in a new light. After a while at the workshop, Punky becomes noticeably happier.

At school, Delrita and Avanelle have a falling out when Avanelle accuses Delrita of telling the other kids that her father is in prison. It’s a misunderstanding (some other kids found a letter from Avanelle to her father that fell out of their shared math book), and Delrita is crushed that Avanelle refuses to speak to her. Tree tells Delrita that Avanelle won’t stay mad for long, and Aunt Queenie encourages Delrita to work things out. Delrita starts carving a swan with outstretched wings and decides that when she finishes, she will give it to Avanelle. Aunt Queenie sees Delrita carving the swan and says that Delrita is gifted and that she is proud. The next day, Punky steals the unfinished carving and gives it away.

Tree asks Delrita to go to the school dance. She is thrilled and spends all week preparing. On the day of the event, Tree never comes to pick Delrita up, and she assumes he is standing her up. The next day, Tree tries to apologize and explain what happened, but Delrita is so angry that she yells at him and doesn’t let him speak. She later finds out that the reason Tree couldn’t come is that his mom suddenly went into labor. Delrita feels guilty and undeserving of any relationship with either Tree or Avanelle.

The next day, Aunt Queenie comes to pick Delrita up from school because Punky is in the hospital. They visit him and learn that he’s had a cardiac event and won’t live much longer. Aunt Queenie sets up a hospital bed and oxygen in their living room so that Punky can be at home for his last few days. The last thing Punky says before he dies is that he sees Sam and Shirley, Delrita’s parents. 

After he dies, Delrita cries and feels empty and alone, but she is glad that Punky and her parents are reunited. At Punky’s funeral, Delrita is surprised by how many people turn up. She realizes that Punky touched the lives of many more people than she thought. Tree and Avanelle come to the funeral, and they all hug. Delrita resolves that she will stop hiding her true self from people. Punky taught her the importance of being bold and confident.