Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu’s new book celebrates the bond between humans and pets
Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu’s new book celebrates the bond between humans and pets
Bollywood actors Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu, who made their writing debut as a couple with the book Inni and Bobo Find Each Other, are out with their second one titled Inni and Bobo Go to the Park. These children’s books are part of a series they are writing to celebrate their beloved five-year-old daughter Inaaya who loves animals, and in remembrance of their dog Masti who died in November 2021. The series is published by Puffin Books.
The first book ends with little Inni adopting a scruffy and shy indie puppy – Bobo – from a dog shelter. The second one shows how Bobo becomes a part of Inni’s family. He is nervous about being in a new environment but delighted to have Inni as “his new best friend”. Inni’s mother explains that dogs express their love by wagging their tails and licking humans. One wonders if Inni needs this explanation. Children seem to pick non-verbal cues from humans and animals easily. Perhaps this is Inni’s first pet, so her parents are being extra cautious.
There are some cute moments; for instance, when Bobo licks Inni’s face to greet her in the morning, when he follows Inni to the bathroom and watches her squeeze pink toothpaste out of a tube, and when Inni talks to Bobo by mimicking his “woof woof”. These descriptions evoke warmth and tenderness, in keeping with Khan and Kemmu’s intention to highlight the “bond between humans and pets”, to encourage readers “to show empathy and kindness towards animals”, and to “teach them to open their hearts and homes to those in need”.
The common thread that runs through both books is the theme of fear. In Inni and Bobo Find Each Other, Inni sees Bobo shivering and covering his eyes with his paws. She picks him up gently, ensuring that she does not hurt him in any way. She treats him like a parent would take care of their beloved child. Holding him close to her, she listens to his heartbeat.
Inni is a sensitive child who tries to understand Bobo’s feelings. She tells her parents, “He looks scared. Like me when I’m in a room with too many people I don’t know…But when Mama holds me close to her, I don’t feel scared anymore.” They think that she is mature enough to understand grief; so instead of beating about the bush, her father says, “He has lost his mama. All the dogs here have lost their parents and are looking for new families.”
In Inni and Bobo Go to the Park, we see Bobo feeling scared when he hears the sudden sound of water gushing out of a tap. The authors write, “He scrambled out of the bathroom and took cover under the bed.” They have beautifully depicted how Inni, as Bobo’s guardian, feels a need to protect him and make him feel safe. She tells, him, “Bobo, it’s only water”, and turns off the tap. Then she takes him to the bathroom sink, and turns on the tap so that there is a slow trickle of water that does not scare Bobo. She puts her finger under the tap, and brings it to Bobo’s mouth so that he can feel the water while he is safely nestled in her friend’s arms.
Later, when Bobo goes on a picnic to the park with Inni and her parents, she holds his leash and takes him for a walk. She wants to comfort him in the best possible manner but she also wonders why he is so afraid. Her father says, “He’s scared of all the sights and sounds…He is so tiny. Just imagine how big and scary the world must seem to him from down there!”
In order to process this, Inni wants to know, quite literally, what the world looks like from down there. She lies down on the grass beside Bobo and looks around. She realizes that it is indeed a lot of sensory stimulation for Bobo – cooing pigeons, cawing crows, yelling people, children running around, and an ice-cream stall playing loud music. Taking a leaf out of her parents, Inni tells Bobo, “It’s okay to be scared. Sometimes new things scare me as well. But as long as Mama and Papa can see us, we’ll be safe. He puts his head in her lap, and she tells him, “Don’t worry, I got you.” The authors show how the capacity to care develops early.
The best part about this book is that it does not romanticize pet adoption. It captures the joys and points out the challenges. In Inni and Bobo Find Each Other, when Inni wants to adopt all the dogs at the shelter, her father says, “Dogs are not toys. They need constant care and looking after. You have to feed them, keep them clean and play with them. It takes a lot of time.” In Inni and Bobo Go to the Park, we see Inni getting a first-hand experience of all that goes into taking responsibility for another life. She learns, for example, that she cannot share chocolate ice cream with Bobo. Her father tells her that dogs do not digest milk well, and it can give them a tummy ache. Her mother teaches her to feed him from a packet of dog treats.
Some of the illustrations by Rituparna Sarkar are so endearing that one wants to linger and keep looking. On one of the pages, we see a close-up of Bobo’s face with his tongue sticking out. In his eyes, we see reflections of Inni’s face. On another page, we see Bobo snuggling up next to Inni and her mother while they are reading from a book at night. Apart from these, there is an illustration of Inni putting Bobo to sleep before she can jump into bed, and another image of Inni’s father coming to Inni and Bobo’s room to check if they are comfortable.
In a nutshell, Inni and Bobo Go to the Park is a feel-good book for children and parents to read together during the Diwali break. The publisher recommends it for ages four and above.
Chintan Girish Modi is a writer, journalist and educator who tweets @chintanwriting
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