Huh?

Well, I'm not exactly sure what to make of this title. One, it originated out of a blog. Doesn't it seem like that's the key to literary success these days? I can think of cooking blogs, personal confessionals, even children's literature bloggers that have been snagging book contracts lately. But I digress, as the blogger book is sill so new that I'll have to wait to read more before commenting further.

No, what confuses me is that this book - When Sword Met Bow, written by Aya Katz -  about a chimpanzee being adopted into a human family, is that it is being marketed as a "bringing home a new baby" bibliotherapy type book: "When two and half year old Sword first met her baby brother Bow, her reactions were mixed. Would he take away all her mother's attention, or would he be a new playmate? A true story with photos." Ummm... no mention that baby brother is a little extra hairy?

And, okay, I'm not a parent yet, but I'm forced to conclude that "parenting"a chimpanzee would have its differences from parenting a human child, reinforced by this semi-hilarious because I'm not sure whether it's satire or not comment by an Amazon member: "My husband got a pet monkey once, and I didn't like it at all...but the kids did. Messy little critter". Its unfair to market a book on a really odd circumstance as though its usual. Although I do seem to remember that monkey babies were a Dr. Phil special recently. Maybe this author is tapping into a real need out there...

I think what most disappoints me here is what a missed opportunity this appears to be - it could make a great nonfiction, as Aya Katz appears to be a primatologist. I love scientists who really live their field. This book could even introduce children to some deeper ideas - on  the rights of animals or about their relationships to people. Kenneth Oppels' very recent and totally heartbreaking young adult novel Half Brother did just that. But to go with the new baby trope, well that just seems like cheating.

http://amzn.com/1456373765