THE DOG WHO LOVED THE GOOD LIFE

Jake is a cute and cuddly dog who believes his station in life is unbefitting. Puppy chow? Please. How about some silverware, a toothbrush he can call his own, a comfy chair for watching television? His owner, Mr. Hibble, a round-faced nebbish, “was a bit surprised at this behavior, but maybe the dog just needed to be trained.” It’s Jake who sets out to train Mr. Hibble, though perhaps “ignore” is the better word for his behavior. Jake demands to be taken along on dates, and he takes Mr. Hibble’s car to gather his K-9 pals for a wild party. Mr. Hibble tells Jake to stay in the doghouse. Right. Jake traipses back inside and jumps into Mr. Hibble’s bed. Mr. Hibble is considering drastic actions—cover Jake with postage stamps and put him in the letterbox, volunteer Jake for an extended space walk, send him on a cruise to nowhere—when he remembers his little friend Sara, who loves pampering and dogs in equal measure. An exchange is effected, and Jake looks as though he might have met his match. Here’s a story that ought to give lawless kiddos a pause—can folks just ship you off? trade you away?—that is softened considerably by Langdo’s meltingly affectionate artwork, and the fact that Jake really does deserve his fate. (Picture book. 3-6)