#511 - Buddy the Scavage
by Rachna Chhabria
“Buddy the Scavage” by Rachna Chhabria. Published by Kamarkat, an imprint of Zero Degree Publishing. A poignant story of a pet dog abandoned by his family to fend for himself on the streets for the first time in his life.
The story is narrated by Buddy who is a chocolate coloured pet Labrador Retriever. He finds himself abandoned on a street in Bengaluru by his human family during the Covid pandemic. The family either couldn’t manage to bear his expenses - with the head of the family having lost his job, or fell for the rumours that pets can spread the Corona virus. Buddy has to find his bearings and start life all over again in an uncharted territory. Not used to the harshness of a life on streets having led a sheltered and pampered life so far with his human family, he finds himself clueless and helpless. He is also missing his little mistress Tanya and her Dadi who he loved more than anyone else in the world. This is when he comes across an angry dog called Mungus whose territory he has unknowingly walked into. This marks the beginning of his life with the Wild Pack of which Mungus is the strongest fighter.
Buddy’s narrative describes how he adapts to the routine of the wild pack and learns new things about living on the street. There is a constant fight against starvation and death. The dogs have to be alert and find themselves food while protecting themselves from other strays. Buddy has the additional responsibility of proving to the pack that he is an asset rather than a liability to them. He starts off as the scavage of the pack whose duty is to forage food for the entire pack. Can the one time pet of the Mehra family rise to the occasion and prove himself worthy? Will he be able to get over the sadness of having been abandoned? Will the Wild Pack ever accept him wholly? Can he win the love of the spunky Diva in the pack who makes his heart beat faster? Read the heartwarming story of how Buddy adapts to his new life and carries out duties which he never dreamt of fulfilling in such a gracious manner.
Buddy immediately stole the heart of my 9.5 year old son. He was enamoured by the story and wanted it to go on. He rooted for Buddy and was curious to know how he would fend for himself on the streets. This was our first book featuring stray dogs and we were instantly drawn into their world. The themes of friendship, loyalty, empathy, kindness, courage, conviction, determination, love, loss and hope have been portrayed in such a charming manner throughout the story. The sudden twists and turns came up right till the end making us curious to know how the story would progress. My son was super happy to have picked up this book himself at the Atta Galatta store during the BLR Litfest last month. The book is an enlightening read for everyone irrespective of their love for dogs making it a MUST READ. The endearing character of Buddy is going to be memorable for us.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 10/11 and above.
Where to buy from?
The publishers here.