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Totally agree with you! There are more than just that though, that could have been done without. I often wondered if the author wanted more significance to the let's but didn't know how to write it in.

Ordinarily, a pet is an animal kept by human beings as a source of companionship and pleasure. Therefore, I think the purpose of the pets were for the pleasure of the children.

Purely as a pet, these animals were sufficient, but I felt like more was going to be learned about them and they would serve a bigger role. This was one of the many aspects of the book that was just begging to be expanded!

I think the position of pets is sometimes overrated. Mostly added as an additional tool for forgetfulness. most times, these pets added more trouble than the comfort they offer. Only few well-mannered pets can play into the role depicts by pets in this book. Even these roles played were not fully explained.

I think it was an important, yet subtle part of the story that helped give a bit of humanity to the caregivers, while also adding filler actions of the children while they interacted with their pets. The pets may not have been the centerfold of the entire story, nor a major addition to the plot, but it helped add realism and favor-ability for readers that added some comedic humor, drama, and inquisitive curiosities. After all, you decided to post about it right? It made an impact, even if it was not a major one.

I'd like to think it was to introduce a sense of responsibility.
I could also think of another reason but that takes a rather darker tone so I'll skip it.

I think pets were a form of comfort for the children. Since they didn’t have a family, it gave them something to love and care for. The role of the pets could have been expanded into much more.

I know it's a very different book, but it made me think of His Dark Materials book series. The relationship with the pets are different but it just popped out to me about the relationship they share.

B Creech wrote: ↑04 Sep 2019, 01:33 I liked that the children were given pets but I do wish it would have been explained why. Perhaps as a form of comfort to them so they wouldn't feel alone without family?

Most definitely agree with you there, as my pets have certainly been a huge comfort throughout my life, but in the context of this fantasy tale, it did seem like an odd bit to mention only briefly.

DaeReads19 wrote: ↑21 Oct 2019, 15:35 I think it was an important, yet subtle part of the story that helped give a bit of humanity to the caregivers, while also adding filler actions of the children while they interacted with their pets. The pets may not have been the centerfold of the entire story, nor a major addition to the plot, but it helped add realism and favor-ability for readers that added some comedic humor, drama, and inquisitive curiosities. After all, you decided to post about it right? It made an impact, even if it was not a major one.

You make great points about how the pet inclusion added a sense of realism, favorability, and caregiver warmth. And the post topic in this forum supports your stated observation of it making enough of an impact to discuss in the first place. I wonder if anyone truly ever chose a cockroach to adopt?

I assumed it was to give them a sense of companionship. It wasn't explained though.

Will also had his pets within the normal world, too, which felt a little strange. Perhaps it's more than just "pets", and the name is used to represent something more. Perhaps the animals are spirit guides of a sort. Did you notice none of the adults had pets? It could be that only children need such a guide. Then again, it's a truly fantastical setting, and reason doesn't always play in when comparing it to our reality.

Pet shop add another layer lov love and character building with the audience

It was just as unnecessary as the ceremony itself so I think it was an attempt to try to make it as significant as possible. I also think she purposely wanted this story to parallel HP so she needed some sort of Hogwarts house-esque ice breaker at the welcoming ceremony. What was the deal with them making a big deal out of Will taming a random wolf? Then there was the Filch like groundskeeper who kept trying to kill Wolfea. Then the pets just followed them around everywhere. That was really hard to imagine and really cringey. It was already hard to imagine all that ice and crystal shaped everything, add animals by every single person's side. Looks like an arctic zoo in my mind. Also the fact that in every single scene with Valerie, she was riding her bird. Wtf That was so weird to me.

This book had a really Golden Compass feel to it. It was a little disturbing and Echoland was really cold. I don't think the pets necessarily advanced the plot but they added much-needed warmth to the story. They are a bit of a trope in this type of fiction and they made this frigid universe much more palatable.