ANY KIND OF DOG

From a psychiatrist who debuted with Bedtime Cat (1991), another story constructed on a repetitive pattern, but with a stronger story and a more satisfying conclusion. Richard wants a dog, but his mother says it'd be too much trouble; instead, she gets him other animals, each resembling one of the dogs in the book he's always reading (the mouse looks like a Chihuahua) and each larger than the last (the pony looks like a Great Dane). At last, Richard has his way—and the dog is ``a lot of trouble, but it was worth it.'' The conclusion is realistic—though the dog is real, all the other animals turn out to be toys. Unpretentious but amusingly expressive, Reiser's bright pen-and-watercolor illustrations tell much of the story, while the very simple phrases in the text get funnier with each dogged repetition— readers are sure to chortle at the idea that a bear, and even a lion, could be less trouble than a dog. A promising readaloud. (Picture book. 3-7)