Raymond

The doggy wears Prada? Kind of. The Le Bec brothers (Danny) introduce a brown dog named Raymond who has a “pretty nice” life with his human family: “They always saved him a snug little spot by the sofa, scratched behind his ears in just the right place, and, every year, threw him a surprise birthday party.” But Raymond dreams of more and begins to “act more and more like a human,” joining his family for cupcakes, cappuccinos, and trips to the movies. Inspired by his new perspective (“The world looked different on two feet, bigger on two feet”), Raymond accepts a job at Dogue magazine as a “rover-ing reporter,” working late into the night typing up stories. The Le Becs’ chic digital illustrations are just right for the busy, glamor-tinged life Raymond embarks on, which culminates in his becoming a TV news star, before realizing that he had it pretty good when he only needed to worry about chasing balls and having his belly rubbed. It’s an entertaining “be careful what you wish for” story, albeit one that may speak more to overworked parents than their children. Ages 3–7. (May)