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

Show More

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 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

The wordless adventures of a baby and a Rottweiler-
Other Carl books by Alexandra Day:

Follow Carl
Carl's Birthday & others

This is a great book that deals with very few words. Only the mother talks and from then on out the dog and baby never say a thing, yet a whole story is laid out before the reader's eyes, making the artwork in this book fantastic and very realistic.

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

Show More

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 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

Meh. Too much like the first book, except in this case the troublemakers leave the department store staff to clean up the messes they make instead of doing so themselves. I did like the bit about the pet shop...

When mother goes shopping in a large department store, Carl, a Rottweiler, is left to mind the baby. The two embark on several adventures, including letting the animals from their cages in the pet department. Imaginative and clever picture book for preschoolers!!

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

Show More

make this book a delightful experience for preschoolers.

Show Less

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.

Cute, the mall reminds me of the old department store where I grew up with an elevator/escalator and multiple floors. Still, Baby and Carl get up into some hijinks...!

Love the Babar and Pooh cameos on the toy floor.