Good Dog, Carl

Good Dog, Carl

by Alexandra Day
Illustration by Alexandra Day

This is a tale of timeless appeal--the original "Carl" book. Its pictures are so vivid and alive that hardly a word is needed to tell the story. An infant is left in the care of a dog while Mother is out. The two get into all sorts of mischief, but trusty Carl puts everything in order in time for Mother's return.

Carl is a cute tale about a dog that is told to watch a baby, showing all the fun they have together. There is quite a bit of mischief, including a swim in the fish tank, but Carl dutifully has everything cleaned up when mother returns home.

There is almost no text, which allows your child to engage fully with the hilarious pictures. This enables them to really study the action contained within the pictures and gives them the opportunity to utilize their imaginations. The basic household setting also provides a feeling of comfort and familiarity.

My friend Sue has a dog that is calm and sweet. However her sister just had a baby and was pretty adamant about keeping the dog away from baby Charlotte. When Sue found this book she bought it for Charlotte. Sue's sister was immediately charmed by the story of Carl, and now is comfortable having Charlotte play with the dog.

--Eve