Relatable characters, conversational storytelling, and the madcap humor that everyday situations may sometimes lead to—these are the core elements of a story that Khyrunnisa tends to pull out from her writer’s hat.

Baby and Dubdub is no different. It tells the tale of a boy named Rohan, who wants a pet dog more than anything in the whole world. When his parents announce there will be a new addition to their family, his heart soars. Alas, it is only a human baby who is expected to join the ranks soon. Rohan is disappointed but not for long as his parents offer him a “package deal”: a dog in exchange for his buy-in on the new human.

He was prepared to accept it. A baby is, after all, just a baby, but a dog is four legs and a bark. He would handle the baby when it appeared. 

The dog, who is christened Dubdub, does make his way into Rohan’s family’s home and heart, until things change when the baby arrives. Both Rohan and Dubdub find it hard to reconcile with the attention that is showered on the newborn. Do they see the light before things get ugly?

This is a book that young animal lovers will relate to, especially those whose parents may not be entirely on board with the idea of a pet in the house. Parents, too, may use it as a conversation starter for children who are about to take on the role of an older sibling.

This is also a book that shows us something we could all do with seeing more of today: entrenched positions that loosen, and individuals who learn to meet each other half way.

Baby and Dubdub
Written by Khyrunnisa
Illustrated by Aaryama Somayaji
ISBN: 9789390477357
Talking Cub, 2021

You can buy a copy here* or find it at a library.

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Karthika Gopalakrishnan is the Head of Reading at Neev Academy, Bangalore, and the Director of the Neev Literature Festival. In the past, she has worked as a children’s book writer, editor, and content curator at Multistory Learning which ran a reading program for schools across south India. Prior to this, Karthika was a full-time print journalist with two national dailies. Her Twitter handle is g_karthika.