A Dog Named Haku by Margarita Engle

A Dog Named Haku

A DOG NAMED HAKU by Margarita Engle, with Amish Karanjit and Nicole Karanjit (illustrated by Ruth Jayaveeran), published by M. Millbrook press, Minneapolis.

Guest Post by Padma Venkatraman

With her characteristic ability to use spare and beautiful language to convey emotions and evoke settings, Engle has created yet another wonderful picture book – this time with co-authors Amish and Nicole Karanjit, who are more familiar with the culture about which she writes. Before I speak of the book itself, I do wonder if this model (of co-authorship) should, perhaps, be adopted more often? Often, authors and agents seem hesitant to enter into such agreements – yet as we become increasingly aware of the need to have diverse books that accurately represent the spectrum of human experience, might it be important to see co-authorship as a way forward? Speaking as a scientist, there was once a time when scientists authored papers on their own; now, it is rare to find a paper that has a single author. While co-authorship may not ever become the norm given that the creative writing process is quite different from that of scientific communication, I do think this might be a path that authors, agents and publishers may wish to consider more seriously.

A DOG NAMED HAKU is about two brothers – Alu and Bhalu – who want to honor a stray dog because a few months ago, when an earthquake struck, they were moved by how hard search and rescue dogs had worked to help save human lives. So, during “the 5-day festival variously known in Nepal as Swanti, Tihar or Deepawali”, the boys set out to find a dog to feed (and, though they don’t state this explicitly, they clearly hope they’ll be allowed to adopt the dog, too). Any reader who has (or wants to have) a dog will wholeheartedly empathize with the brothers. I’m sure this book will also become a favorite if ready by or read aloud to any young animal lover.

In addition to the sure-fire plot, I was delighted to witness the depth and dedication of the authors’ research. In a note to the readers, they note that this story “describes only one of the many Hindu traditions” surrounding the festival. Indeed, the Indian subcontinent is vast, and the Hindu religion is as varied as any other; yet, all too often people from outside the county and unfamiliar with the religion assume it is just one. We often fail to recognize the extent of diversity within a culture, and this succinct note pleased me immensely. A short nod to acknowledge this diversity works wonders for me, and goes a long way to helping the reader get a more balanced perspective of the world.

As always, Engle captures the sights and sounds of the setting with carefully chosen words; she also manages, with her characteristic brilliance, to capture how close-knit and loving the boys’ family is: their little sister guess what the brothers are upto, but doesn’t tell on them when they are missing; the boys realize the parents are worried when they return home late; and finally, the adults, though surprised to find a dog on their lantern-lit rooftop, react with affection and understanding. All the books by her that I have read use simple yet powerful language, so that they are not only evocative but also easily understood by young readers, and this is no exception.

It provides an excellent starting point for any classroom exploration into Nepalese culture, as well. In addition to a glossary of Nepali words, the authors have included a short recommended reading list as well as suggested enrichment activities.

BIO

Padma Venkatraman is the author of three critically acclaimed novels: A TIME TO DANCE, ISLAND’S END and CLIMBING THE STAIRS, each of which was released to multiple starred reviews. Cumulatively, her books have several awards and been honored with inclusion on over fifty best book lists. Her 4th novel, THE BRIDGE HOME, is about homeless children in India and is scheduled for 2019 Spring release by Nancy Paulsen Books. She enjoys teaching and mentoring and visiting schools and has presented keynote addresses at national and international conferences. Visit her atwww.padmavenkatraman.comand @padmatv.