In the post-pandemic era, many families have been put in the dog stage at some point in their lives.
You may be a family member who only likes to see pictures of dogs. Or maybe it’s the sweet teenage years when you’re thinking about bringing a dog home. Or maybe you’re a veteran and have had multiple dogs come and go as part of your life.
As a family, we are in a pretty good place on the dog stage. Actively help strays by being kind to them, and read or watch anything in which dogs play a starring (or sidekicking!) role. I like dogs.
dog book (Although not a children’s book) – Written by a noted dog lover and edited by Hemari Sodi, this wonderful compilation of essays on love, loss and living with dogs is great for people of all stages of dog life. Reading that book made me laugh out loud at times and be confused at times, wondering if children could share my reading experience through a book written for them. I can only imagine my delight when I discovered that Indian children’s literature was exploding with books about dogs that ran the gamut from stray dogs to spoiled pets.
dog friend in the book
There is a Rajiv Eipe panel Daga (Pratham Books) shows a three-legged stray – Dugga with his tongue out and a big smile looking into a brighter future – filled with food, friends and lots of barking flies. Dugga’s story of resilience from adversity will bring you to tears and cheer you on loud. Playing with colorful, monochromatic panels, writer/illustrator Rajiv Eipe sets us up to fall in love with the carefree Dugga and makes us think about your behavior towards stray animals and the need to pay attention to them. increase.
In the book, Dugga finds happiness, but in reality she finds so much more. This magical wordless picture book won many coveted children’s lighting awards this year, including the AttaGalatta and BK Awards. Ataboy, Daga!
In the book by Richa Jha Duster (PickleYolk Books), the eponymous dog behaves like a cat. Tired and desperate for a canine companion. When Duster sees his human break down and cry, something changes within him. That is, he goes to comfort humans.
We, pet parents, are guilty of anthropomorphizing our fur babies and believe they understand our moods, worries and language. We feel that we know exactly what we are trying to convey with each whine and whine. I’m sure there are. Duster will amaze you and make you turn pages.
of hissing dog (Pratham Books), author Kavita Punniyamurthi tells a story all too true. We see a young boy who is fed up with his pet puppy because the puppy can’t do tricks. His father decided to abandon the puppy on a busy street. Instead of barking, the puppy waits, then waits some more. He slowly realizes that humans are not coming back and learns to live on the streets.
wait! This book is more than just sad. In pure strokes of genius, author Punyamurti uses humor to keep children occupied. Shu! Over and over again I’m assuming it’s his name. Again, this one has a happy ending, but it has to subtly emphasize the kind of behavior that should never be taught to children.
Chitty: The Dog and Her Forest Farm (Kalpavriksh) is the book I have on my coffee table. A full page illustration of Chitti in the Western Ghats surrounded by lush greenery under a starry sky, by author Therow and illustrator Rajiv Eipe, Therow brought her to the woods of his home. It tells the story of Chitty’s life from the moment she rested after 13 Monsoon. Yes, this is a tearful book, but one that has laid the foundation for so many meaningful conversations with children.
Stories about dogs and dogs are more than just fodder for children’s writers. Sahitya Akademi Award winner Arupa Patangia Kalita wrote: Tanya I want to share my memories with my dog with many people. Translated from Assamese, Tanya (Puffin Classic) is the story of a little dog that will have you laughing out loud at her antics throughout the book. Kalita invites us into her inner world and gives us the opportunity to see the landscape and social environment of Assamese through Tanya’s eyes. As expected, we are blown away by the final chapter. Fortunately, there are books that remember Tanya.
A dog character is never an idea. It begins as a memory and lurks in the story. It then settles comfortably in the middle of the plot and won’t move until enough attention is given to it. Author/illustrator Rajiv Eipe knows this all too well. “There is something about the bond between a dog and a human that transcends the transactions and material relationships that may exist between the two. It’s how you get to know your dog.”
Isn’t that the best way to know and remember your best friend?
