Carl Goes Shopping

That baby-sitting Rottweiler, Carl, returns in this second mostly wordless picture-book from artist Alexandra Day, as Mother once again leaves her baby in her dog's care, while she runs off to another part of the store where they are shopping. Dog and infant immediately embark on an adventurous tour of said store, exploring the various departments, and having lots of fun - playing with the toys in the toy department, sampling the treats in the fine foods department - before returning to the spot where Mother left them.

Just as charming as the first Carl adventure, Good Dog, Carl, this entry in the series had a number of humorous details that I appreciated - I found the title of the book that Carl and the baby "read" together, Rottweilers show more I Have Known, particularly droll - and the lovely artwork I have come to associate with these books. It's amusing to note that some reviewers seem very put off by the concept of a baby being left in the charge of a Rottweiler, as I think this is really just a sweet fantasy, and not intended as a realistic depiction of parenting or dog companionship. show less

I gave Carl Goes Shopping a 4/5 stars because I think the book was funny and children who are unable to read will find humor in the story. The mother leaves her baby while she heads upstairs to see her sister and asks the dog Carl to watch the baby. Obviously dogs cannot understand and obey instructions as complex as that so Carl takes the baby out on the town on his back. They go into the mall and see the TV's, they end up wearing hats, and of course Carl takes baby to the pet store. Carl gets baby back just in time so that the mother doesn't know that they ever left and she tells him "good boy." This book would be great for young readers, especially those who cannot read yet or those who are reading to understand irony, to understand show more the love between dog and human, to understand that dogs obviously cannot go in public and go shopping which makes it funny, and so they can laugh at the irony of the mother telling Carl that he did a good job watching the baby because neither of them can tell her about the day they had. show less

Although the illustrations in the Carl books are not as stylized as, say, Peter McCarty's, their charm and evocativeness are undeniable. Day really captures the essence of Carl's spirit and you can tell she is a close observer of dog behavior. The plots in the Carl books ask and answer the question, "What if your dog was your babysitter?" Then, the fun ensues. Carl takes baby all over town when Mom and Dad are away in adventures only a dog would conceive of. This series of books is a real upper, guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Cute story of the adventures Carl, the dog and babysitter, takes the baby on while the baby's mother thinks he is minding the child in her carriage. The background for the detailed pictures was too dark.

Day, A. (1989). Carl goes shopping. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.

In Carl goes Shopping, the mother leaves her baby alone with Carl the rottweiler as she goes upstairs. As soon as the mother leaves, the adventures begin! The baby gets out of the stroller, climbs onto Carl, and rides Carl like a horse. They take the elevator, play with toys, sample foods at a grocery store, and unlock the cages of animals at the pet store. My favorite scene is when the baby is holding a book titled “Rottweilers I have known.” The duo somehow manages to return before the mother comes downstairs. The baby is back in the stroller, and the mother returns and says, “Good dog, Carl!”

Although both wordless stories are quite humorous, the show more illustrations are starkly different from each other. In Frog goes to Dinner, the illustrations look more like a cartoon, creating a lighthearted mood. In contrast, in this book, the author, Alexandra Day, uses oil paints, which provide lots of layers. The layers add depth to the illustrations, making the pictures look realistic. I think Day used this medium to make the story seem believable. In both wordless stories, the illustrations clearly communicate the storyline. They are excellent stories to help beginning readers learn how to understand the different elements of a plot. show less

I love the way this book tells an entire story without any words. The dog and the baby are never more than a foot away from each other. Little kids would probably think it was funny

When Madeline and Carl (Madeline's Rottweiler caretaker) visit a daycare, teacher Mrs. Manning gets locked out of the building. As Mrs. Manning devises various methods to unlock the door, Carl keeps the young children on schedule with their daily activities. Very little dialogue and vivid pictures make this book a delightful experience for preschoolers.