Good Dog, Carl [Paperback]

Alexandra Day (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 1, 1997 | Age Range: 4 and up

Available in paperback for the first time, the modern classic that introduced the beloved baby-sitting rottweiler to the world.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Alexandra Day's modern classic Good Dog Carl has sold more than 200,000 copies, captivating countless readers with the lovable rottweiler Carl, endearing illustrations, and the tale's surprising silliness. The book begins with the mother saying, "Look after the baby, Carl. I'll be back shortly." Let the adventure begin! Carl looks out the window to make sure Mom is gone. Once the coast is clear, the baby crawls out of the crib and onto Carl's back. First stop? Mom's bed. Second stop? The top of the dresser where powder puffs are sported as hats. The infant--now in Carl's capable paws--slides down the laundry chute, swims in the fish tank, dances, raids the refrigerator, and makes a huge mess. Carl dutifully bathes the baby, cleans up the chaos, puts his charge back in the crib, and plays it cool when Mom comes home. "Good dog, Carl!" she says upon her return. A sweet, subtly absurd picture book that jubilantly illustrates the old adage, "When the cat's away, the mice will play." (Picture book)

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks (August 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689817711
• ISBN-13: 978-0689817717
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (109 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Babysitting
  • #35 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Pets
  • #80 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Dogs

More About the Author

In addition to The Christmas We Moved to the Barn, Cooper Edens has writted many ppular children's books, including If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow, and his popular Santa Cow books. Mr Edens lives in Seattle, Washington.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

121 of 128 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Carl Is Adorable, Some Readers Need Perspective September 29, 2004

By Jesse Penitent

Format:Board book

As a children's librarian, I, too, am absolutely outraged about this book! I am outraged that so many people have so little ability to separate reality from fantasy. Folks, if this book is causing problems in your home, may I suggest that you also avoid Amelia Bedelia (dumbest maid in the world), "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs", ALL the Miss Nelson books, The Stupids and, as your child grows up, toss ALL fantasy novels straight out the window. (Goodbye, Dorothy! Goodbye, Chet Gecko!)

Of course, for all I know, the people worrying about Carl being left alone to mind a baby actually DO inhabit a world where maids actually draw a picture of the bath when asked to draw a bath, it really DOES rain spaghetti, teachers can fool their students with simple disguises, people are as dumb as the Stupids, animals talk and tornados really do carry little girls away over the rainbow. In which case, instead of being outraged, I am either very jealous or very scared.

For everyone else, Carl is a riot to read, cute as can be and your child will have a giggle imagining that a baby and a dog could REALLY get up to that much trouble.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars We Love Carl. March 18, 2002

By Spencer Medvick

Format:Board book

Five years ago, my sister-in-law tried to convince me that a book about a dog - a rottweiler, no less - who babysits when mother goes out was "wonderful". I was skeptical (at best). (Let me get this straight: the mother puts her baby in the crib and tells the DOG to take care of it? Then the mother LEAVES? That's crazy. That's not a good message. It's a Rottweiler? What was the author thinking?) Once I got to READ the book, though, I fell in love too. I must admit that we contributed a couple of Carl books to my niece's growing library that year. Now we are building a Carl collection for our son, and it's a hit. At 2 years old, he loved to have Daddy read this to him. At 3.5, he reads it to anyone who will sit still. His take on the action is a little different than ours, but it is very imaginative!

This is the first of the Carl books. They're all my favorite. I just can't decide. I like to go in order, though. These are not particularly sequential books, but Baby is a little bigger in each book as they go along.

I love the open-ended play we get from this book, so that anyone reading it, including your own Baby, can make up the story. The illustrations are fabulous - the action is what our kids have focused on, and the detail is amusing for the older reader on the 112th time through. I recommend this for any small child, especially the 1yo - 4yo crowd. Give it to some lucky family, or get it for yourself!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for any dog-loving child! March 24, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Board book

Beautiful pictures captivate child and adult alike as they tell the adventures of lovable Carl and his small charge. On this day, Carl's job is simply to babysit for an afternoon. What an afternoon it turns out to be for Carl and the baby! Even non-readers can follow Carl's adventures and begin to cultivate a love for books through this creatively told story. Dogs and young children are a perfect combination. After reading this book, you will think the same about books and young children!