To them, including a Black trans girl character who was supported by her parents and community — and who goes on adventures but is not in serious danger — was particularly important.

One day, Jam trips and falls onto her mother's painting (a type of assemblage with sharp objects incorporated within.)

"[2]The novel also deals with child sexual abuse, trust in the justice system, ideas around utopia and friendship, and bucking black and white thinking about evil.

[4] Pet was on the inaugural publication list for the Make Me a World imprint of Penguin Random House, an effort led by children's author Christopher Myers.

"[3] In a starred review at Publishers Weekly, the reviewer said "Emezi’s direct but tacit story of injustice, unconditional acceptance, and the evil perpetuated by humankind forms a compelling, nuanced tale that fans of speculative horror will quickly devour.

"[8] The Horn Book Magazine called Pet "a haunting and poetic work of speculative fiction.

"[11] In a review for The New York Times, author Ibi Zoboi wrote that "Emezi, who is Nigerian, conjures the African oral tradition with sweeping metaphors folded into an almost folkloric rendering of some of humanity’s harshest truths.