Reviews
Looking at an adorable illustration of a guinea pig that I had shared on my Instagram story, my dear friend, Heidi, who remembers hundreds of delightful children’s literature, recommended this book. Although e-copies were not available in India, I stumbled upon an e-copy on archive.org, and the website let me borrow the book for an hour. Some days, regardless of how they start, turn out to be perfect. Dick King-Smith lived with guinea pigs since he was six and until he turned sixty. In this sweet book, affectionately illustrated by Anita Jeram, Dick King-Smith draws from his own experiences of living with guinea pigs and tells readers about the origin of the furry rodents, their favourite foods, their favourite sounds, and even their life pursuits. Next time when I meet them, I wouldn’t need anyone’s help to hold them the right way. When you are an adult, it’s easy to look guinea pigs up on Wikipedia to know about their lifespan and how they behave and other clinical details. But what’s the fun in that staid exercise when children’s literature can bring colours and benevolent voice to the information? ‘One especially nice thing about guinea pigs is that if you make a fuss over them, they become really fond of you.’ I have lived all my adult life with nonhuman animals, and I know what an invaluable validation it is to be trusted by them. Dick King-Smith just doesn’t teach children and adults about the bodies and minds of guinea pigs, but how to make them fall in love with us, too. I love being reminded of that privilege every once in a while. If not for children’s literature, what else can be a helpful reminder!
