What’s the Point of Kiki?

The name of the book itself makes me chuckle. It makes one think of big philosophical questions like What’s the point of life? or Why are we here? And yet, there’s a simplicity to the question that I love–what’s the point of a pet that does not show you any love, that you cannot cuddle?

What’s the Point of Kiki? by Nandita da Cunha and Rishita Loitongbam is a sweet, light-hearted book that still manages to address bigger themes. A crow, Kiki, enters Nisha’s life with an injured leg. The problem is that he never leaves. He monopolises all Ma’s time, and Nisha cannot understand it. She cannot understand why anyone would love a loud, messy bird. Even worse, if she does the same things Kiki does, she gets told off. How is it fair?

I love the exploration of Nisha’s vulnerability and the ways in which she tries to get attention. The expressive pictures add layers to the story, layers that are at the same time evocative and humorous. All in all, What’s the Point of Kiki? is told with sensitivity and humour, and we cannot help empathising with the protagonist as she struggles to find her space in a family with a new member in it.