Good Dog, Carl

I read this book with my son a million times. We had a big black dog who was an equal partner in child-rearing. Actually, she may have thought she was slightly more responsible than the humans. And she maybe was right. Many of my son's earliest memories involve Inky standing between him and danger. So we loved Carl, of course.

This fantastical little book tells (mostly without words) the story of the best babysitter ever- Carl the Rottweiler. Baby's parents go out on the town and leave Carl in charge. Delightful adventures ensue. So much fun for little kids, and a delicious fantasy for parents.

In this first of a series of wordless picture-book devoted to the adventures of a baby-sitting Rottweiler (don't try this at home, parents!), Mother instructs Carl to 'look after the baby," and goes out. Naturally, a dog and infant have better things to do than nap, so baby crawls out of its crib, and Carl oversees its messy (and rather chaotic) playtime, before shepherding his charge back to bed...

I found this little book charming, and am glad I finally gave this series, and its creator, a chance! Of course I've long been familiar with the Carl books, but it was only when I read some glowing reviews by a friend (thanks, Gundula!), that I finally tracked one down, and really looked at it. The artwork, done in egg tempera, is just show more lovely, Carl is a winsome characters, and the story is amusing. One hopes, of course, that no one is actually using a Rottweiler as a baby-sitter, but as a fun fantasy, this tale works! show less

A lovely little book with detailed, realistic illustrations of Carl, the rottweiler, and the baby he's looking after as they go about the house together. Apart from the first and last page, there are no words, and the story is shown through Carl and the baby's actions and the expressions on their faces. It might, however, create some unrealistic expectations about the capabilities of a pet dog babysitter. ;)

While I’m not about to recommend leaving an infant in the care of a dog — even a rottweiler as phenomenal as the eponymous Carl — I, like hundreds of thousands of parents, enjoyed the hijinks in this nearly wordless picture book. Carl is an amazing dog, indeed.

After simply adoring some of the later books in the Carl the Rottweiler series, I have to admit that I am a bit underwhelmed by the first book of the series, Good Dog, Carl. I think that in general, it is a sweet (albeit for some parents perhaps a touch unnerving) story, full of fun, whimsy and mischief. However, neither the story nor the illustrations have managed to completely charm me like I was recently "wowed" by Carl's Summer Vacation, Carl's Snowy Afternoon or even Carl's Birthday. The illustrations in these three books are truly magical; wonderfully bold and colourful, they truly capture the cuteness, fun, the typical characteristics of a Rottweiler, whereas the illustrations presented in Good Dog, Carl seem (at least to me) a show more bit bland in comparison. They are well-executed, and both humorous and sweet, but lack the whimsy and bright expressiveness displayed by the illustrations of many of the later Carl books.

That is not to say that I did not enjoy "reading" about Carl and Madeleine's escapades in Good Dog, Carl. I have no moral or philosophical qualms with the fact that the mother lets the family Rottweiler babysit Madeleine, and it always amazes me that there are actually unenlightened individuals who not only despise this picture book, but actually think that it is dangerous and should be censored and even removed from library shelves (one patron at our local library recently left a comment vehemently demanding that this supposedly dangerous book be banned). Honestly, Good Dog, Carl is a fantastical and fun children's picture book, and if any parents were to think or actually believe that leaving a baby alone in the care of a dog is correct parenting (and to be imitated), they have major pre-existing family problems that have not been caused by the book.

However, I guess it is to a certain extent the fantastical elements in Good Dog, Carl that have made me enjoy this story rather less than some of the other Carl the Rottweiler books I have recently read and adored. Many if not most of Carl's and Madeleine's escapades in Carl's Summer Vacation, Carl's Snowy Afternoon and even Carl's Birthday are quite close to reality; they portray actions, interactions, games etc. that children and Rottweilers (or dogs in general) do engage in and often engage in together (sliding down a slide, fetching a baseball, the dog pulling a sled, dressing a dog up in a rain poncho). One of the reasons I love these three books so much is because of the nostalgia, seeing illustrations of a Rottweiler that could so easily have been the Rottweiler(s) my family owned when my siblings and I were younger. The story depicted in Good Dog, Carl however, does not create that same sense of nostalgia in me, as none of our Rottweilers would ever have let us swim in a fish tank, nor would they have known how to give us a bath and dry us with a hairdryer. I would still and definitely recommend this charming wordless (or rather, nearly wordless) picture book to anyone who likes dogs (both adults and children), but if you are going to read the first of the Carl books, you should also take the time to read and enjoy some of the later installments. show less

"Look after the baby, Carl. I'll be back shortly." These are the only words used to begin the story Good Dog, Carl. Carl, a massive Rottweiler, is left in charge of the family's small baby. When the mother leaves, the baby is safely in his crib. Once the door closes, the adventures begin. Carl watches while the baby does everything he wants to. If he gets close to danger, Carl steps in to keep him safe. When the mother returns, the baby is in his crib and Carl on the floor. She has no idea of all the happenings that just took place.
I was horrified when I first heard about this book, but once I read it myself, I fell in love. The beautiful illustrations display the love that Carl feels for the baby. I think that Rottweilers are seen as show more such vicious dogs only adds to the story. Carl is a loving, beautiful, and gentle creature. Anyone who has raised a child around a family pet can understand the wonderful feelings that are shared between the children and pet.
I think this would be a good book to show younger children and discuss caring for others and love. You could also discuss responsibility. show less

This is a wordless book that allows kids to use their own imagination and tell the story the way they'd like to tell it. The story is humorous and has many pictures of what the dog and baby did all day. Kids will like this book because they are free to tell the story. This book is age appropriate for the early childhood level.