Dr. Michael Ungar, an internationally recognized social work scholar with over 250 academic articles and book chapters to his name, shifts from scholarly writing to fiction with his latest novel, *Orphans in the Garden*. Released digitally in June and in paperback on September 15, the novel tells the story of Rachel, a social worker who believes the child welfare system is failing vulnerable children. In response, she repurposes her garden shed into a sanctuary for kids seeking refuge.
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This work marks Ungar's return to fiction, following his debut novel, *The Social Worker*, published in 2011. He aims to reach broader audiences to convey critical messages about child welfare. "Most of the people who are going to read the novel are never going to read an article in *Child Abuse and Neglect,*" he notes, referencing a leading journal in the field.
By using fiction, Ungar hopes to alter perceptions of children who are homeless or involved in the child welfare system. He expresses the importance of narrative in communicating complex topics, stating, "I had something to say that I wasn’t able to say in other forms. Fiction can give you license to say things that you can’t necessarily write, even in popular psychology books."
In *Orphans in the Garden*, he combines serious themes with elements of satire and magical realism, crafting what he intends to be an engaging read. "It’s not meant to be heavy. It’s meant to be readable," he explains. Through Rachel's perspective, Ungar highlights the experiences of young people who often feel they would prefer independence over being in a rigid system.
Dr. Anam Khan, a former PhD student of Ungar’s, acknowledges that his venture into fiction, while unconventional, aligns with his multifaceted nature. She recalls how he infused storytelling into his academic supervision, emphasizing a narrative flow in research work. He conducts workshops at academic conferences aimed at transforming research ideas into popular books. "A lot of people were sitting on a book idea," he reflects on a past workshop that attracted over 100 attendees.
Ungar's main character embodies the virtues of the best in social work, inspired by his encounters with various professionals in the field. He expresses that good social workers may read the novel wishing they had the resources to assist children as Rachel does. He critiques the common stereotypes surrounding social workers, highlighting their profound impact on individual lives and noting that the child welfare system remains largely unseen by the public.
While *Orphans in the Garden* conveys critical social work principles in a playful manner, Ungar hopes it could become required reading in social work schools. "I would love it if my book was picked up by schools of social work as a required reading," he mused. He also finds that writing fiction rejuvenates his academic pursuits, saying, "I write some fiction for a month or two, and then I feel refreshed when I go back to the academic articles. Inspiration sometimes gets jiggled."
As for future novels, he remains open, saying, "If another character like Rachel happens to wake me up some evening... maybe I’ll put their story down."