Nov 112022
Does your child want a PET? How about a BUFFALO?! [Review]
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Book Title: I Want A Pet! (Hook Book)
Author: Arundhati Venkatesh
Illustrator: Reshu Singh
Publisher: Duckbill Books (Penguin Random House India)
Type: Paperback
Pages: 40
Recommended Age: 5-7 years

“I want a pet”. How often have you heard your children repeat this line? I’ve heard it too often to count! The pets that have been demanded by my 5 year old have ranged from the innocuous dog, to the macaw to the more outlandish spiders, boa constrictors and tigers. In fact, when I once told him that we can’t keep a leopard as a pet because they are “wild” animals, he insisted that they are “too cute” to be wild! All explanations of how pets are great responsibilities fall on deaf ears with him, and currently he thinks he is getting a husky when he turns 6! 

He loves reading Hook Books, which provide him with that perfect balance of pictures and easy text, and so when I realised that this book was on Pets, I knew he would love it.

Much like our children, Jasbir wanted a pet but instead his parents gave him a younger sibling! But, one fine day, a pet does walk into his room, much to his surprise! Can you guess which animal though? A buffalo! An extremely demanding buffalo. Jasbir then scrambles to find food and water for his pet, while also trying to keep him hidden from family because how will he explain the sudden appearance? Will he be able to look after his much wanted pet? Maybe pets are indeed great responsibilities, after all?

The author has taken a very common childhood wish, of having a pet, and turned it into an adventure. Every aspect of the book – the interesting storyline, the hilariousness at every step, the illustrations, the sound effects in various places, all of it combines to leave the reader with a big wide smile on their face. At one point in the story, Jasbir enters his room to find the buffalo sitting peacefully on his bed, and though he thinks that is the worst that can happen, it soon gets worse with poop all over his room!

The story also promotes sibling love, and so if you are dealing with sibling rivalry especially with the arrival of a new baby, this book is perfect. I initially thought I would skip reading it to my 5 year old, as it might encourage him, a single child, to ask for a sibling. But, the story was so much fun that we eventually read it together, and he couldn’t stop giggling throughout! I think the book (especially the page with the poop all over) also helped explain to him how pets are a big responsibility, and they need to be looked after constantly! Hopefully, he won’t ask for the pet dog now!

There are other Hook Books published by Duckbill which are just as funny and engaging as this book is. You can read my review of another hook book, KITTEN TROUBLE here. And my review of Shoo! Crow is here.
Get Hooked: The Hook Book Box Set – a set of 11 Hook Books (440 pages) is also available which works out to be more economical!

If you enjoyed this review and are eager to know what all a pet buffalo does, you can buy the book from Amazon (kbc affiliate link),

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Disclaimer: We are proud to be part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and received this book as a review copy from the publisher.


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