Raymond was a happy dog, ensconced in his life with a loving family. Then one day he wondered why he wasn't sitting at the table to eat, and this precipitated a series of thoughts, actions and changes that had him living a far more human life. Sipping lattes, getting his fur groomed, and working his way up the ranks as a reporter for Dogue magazine. Success has its drawbacks however, and soon Raymond wasn't seeing much of his family at all. It was only on holiday, as he rediscovered the small pleasures of life, that a sense of balance was restored...

I went into Yann and Gwendal Le Bec's Raymond with high expectations, given the praise heaped upon it by the goodreads friend who recommended it to me. At first I was conscious of a small feeling of impatience - I generally don't like the "I'm going to treat my dog like a little human" crowd, as their permissive attitude often encourages behavior that severely inconveniences or even endangers others - but once I was able to see the tale as allegorical, I found the humor much more appealing. The story is a classic one, addressing such things as learning to balance different aspects of one's life, and staying true in the end to one's roots, despite fame and fortune. The artwork is colorful and appealing, with a cartoon-like style that is well-suited to the humor of the story. The scene in which Raymond discovers Dogue magazine had me chuckling, as a human nearby is holding a copy of The New Yorkshire - a clear reference to The New Yorker, to which my family subscribed my entire childhood. All in all, this was a fun little picture-book, one I would especially recommend to young dog-lovers. ( )