I Am Hachi

MY THOUGHTS

You know, we at Mother of Readers are partial to a good doggie book. So when the author Mannat Lumba reached out about this darling book and the amazing cause it stood for, I couldn’t contain myself! I knew I had to read it!

I Am Hachi is a book about an adorable golden dog named Hachiko. We see the four seasons of Hachi’s life. Spring, when he is adopted by his family – Mumma, Papa, and the two-who-smell-alike-but-are-not-the-same. Summer, as a grown dog celebrating his birthday. Autumn, when he learns his family leaves him sometimes, but will return. And Winter, when his body asks him to slow down, he spends his time less on walks and more beside his family. This book is not a revelation for any pet parent, but the playful tone and innocent words make this story endearing.

For me, the story felt familiar. The metamorphosis of the pet’s name into a hundred others, the bath time messes, and even the countless balls that suddenly make their way into your home if you have a dog. What Mannat Lumba succeeds in doing here is focusing on the daily routine that becomes the joy and highlight of a pet parent. She zeroes in on the idiosyncrasies and oddities of the dog that make us love them so fiercely. This book reminded me of the joy of head-scratches, the comfort in brushing soft fur, and that serotonin rush you get when you see your dog smiling back at you like you are the only person that matters to them in the whole world. A pet dog becomes your entire world as much as you become theirs, and somehow, the world feels brighter with them around. This is a book that reminded me of our days with Clou, and it felt oddly comforting to have someone share my life experience.

The illustrations by Sanjana Desai are gorgeous! She captures the softness of the fur and brings Hachi alive! I loved the page where Hachi celebrates his birthday and the one with him looking at the washing machine. I also liked how she highlights Hachi’s softly greying fur around his muzzle as he ages.

The proceeds from every book sold go towards World for All Animal Care and Adoptions. The money is used for adoption and rehabilitation, animal ambulances, and to spay and neuter stray animals. Pick up this book today to read a story that will make you laugh and cry with Hachi, but will also help in saving and rescuing animals in need.