His Majesty

Originally published in France in 2011, this large-format board book celebrates the prominent role of a cat in a household. Galeron’s impeccably detailed illustrations give that dominance physical form: when readers first meet “His Majesty,” the black-and-white cat calmly gazes out at them through golden eyes, his enormous body utterly dwarfing the sofa he sits on. “He keeps me warm during the winters and even warmer in the summers,” notes the adult narrator, whose skirt, legs, and high heels peek out from underneath the cat. Deadpan commentary (“Did I mention that he’s also a food critic?”) and droll artwork leave no question about the domestic social order when a cat is involved. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)