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Good Dog, Carl #3
Carl's Christmas
Join beloved babysitting Rottweiler Carl in author/artist Alexandra Day’s perfectly joyous holiday children’s picture book, Carl’s Christmas .
After helping baby decorate the family tree, Carl and his charge share an adventure-filled Christmas Eve complete with window shopping, giving to the needy, and a visit with Santa Claus.
After helping baby decorate the family tree, Carl and his charge share an adventure-filled Christmas Eve complete with window shopping, giving to the needy, and a visit with Santa Claus.
32 pages, Board Book
First published January 1, 1990
5 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Day
73 books94 followersAlexandra Day, the beloved creator of Good Dog, Carl, is the literary persona of Sandra Louise Woodward Darling—an artist and storyteller devoted to the deep, joyful connection between children and animals. The beloved children's book author, Alexandra Day, is the literary persona of Sandra Louise Woodward Darling, an artist and storyteller passionate about connecting children and animals.
Born in 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Alexandra Day emerged from a creative family where painting was a cherished pastime. Four formative years on a hundred-acre Kentucky farm nurtured her deep connection to animals and literature, fostering the seeds of her future artistic vision.
Day and her husband, Harold Darling, founded Green Tiger Press in 1970, marking the beginning of their publishing adventure. Her breakthrough came in 1985 with Good Dog, Carl, a book inspired by an antique German illustration she discovered in a Zurich bookshop. The story was based on her own Rottweiler, Toby, and featured her granddaughter, Madeleine, as the baby.
Over the past four next three decades, Day has published twenty-four Carl books, selling more than six million copies. The series, featuresing a gentle Rottweiler caring for a baby and their adventures, is a beloved staple of children's literature. Beyond Carl, she also created the Frank and Ernest series, The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, and many other books.
After selling Green Tiger Press in 1986, Day and Harold started Blue Lantern Publishing. In 1993, they moved to Seattle and founded Laughing Elephant Publishing. Following Harold's passing in 2016, Day continues to run the company with her family.
When not painting Carl or working at her publishing company, Day can be found spending time with her grandchildren and tending her garden. Alexandra Day often visits libraries and schools with her dogs, promoting reading and the benefits of therapy animals. Her life's work celebrates the magical bond between children, animals, and storytelling.
Born in 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Alexandra Day emerged from a creative family where painting was a cherished pastime. Four formative years on a hundred-acre Kentucky farm nurtured her deep connection to animals and literature, fostering the seeds of her future artistic vision.
Day and her husband, Harold Darling, founded Green Tiger Press in 1970, marking the beginning of their publishing adventure. Her breakthrough came in 1985 with Good Dog, Carl, a book inspired by an antique German illustration she discovered in a Zurich bookshop. The story was based on her own Rottweiler, Toby, and featured her granddaughter, Madeleine, as the baby.
Over the past four next three decades, Day has published twenty-four Carl books, selling more than six million copies. The series, featuresing a gentle Rottweiler caring for a baby and their adventures, is a beloved staple of children's literature. Beyond Carl, she also created the Frank and Ernest series, The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, and many other books.
After selling Green Tiger Press in 1986, Day and Harold started Blue Lantern Publishing. In 1993, they moved to Seattle and founded Laughing Elephant Publishing. Following Harold's passing in 2016, Day continues to run the company with her family.
When not painting Carl or working at her publishing company, Day can be found spending time with her grandchildren and tending her garden. Alexandra Day often visits libraries and schools with her dogs, promoting reading and the benefits of therapy animals. Her life's work celebrates the magical bond between children, animals, and storytelling.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
June 7, 2017
To see this week's wordless picture books, please visit www.readrantrockandroll.com
Carl's Christmas by Alexandra Day is a story about a dog named Carl and a sweet little baby. Carl is left to be responsible for the baby on Christmas Eve and they go on a little adventure together. This book has text on the very first page and the rest of the book is strictly pictures.
What I liked about the story was the idea of a dog taking care of a baby. It's unrealistic, but so adorable. Carl knows how to care for the baby and their adventure consists of strolling around town visiting stores, carolers, and finally a visit with Santa.
We really enjoyed the classic painted illustrations and couldn't wait to find out how the story would end. Follow along to see if Carl receives a gift of his own this year.
4****
Carl's Christmas by Alexandra Day is a story about a dog named Carl and a sweet little baby. Carl is left to be responsible for the baby on Christmas Eve and they go on a little adventure together. This book has text on the very first page and the rest of the book is strictly pictures.
What I liked about the story was the idea of a dog taking care of a baby. It's unrealistic, but so adorable. Carl knows how to care for the baby and their adventure consists of strolling around town visiting stores, carolers, and finally a visit with Santa.
We really enjoyed the classic painted illustrations and couldn't wait to find out how the story would end. Follow along to see if Carl receives a gift of his own this year.
4****
December 1, 2021
What a beautiful and unique book! Apart from a sentence on the first page, when mum and dad explain to Rottweiler Carl that they are going to church and ask him to look after the baby, this book has no text. As soon as the parents are gone, the baby rides Carl downstairs and their Christmas adventures begin.
The painted illustrations are beautiful, the expressions of both dog and humans are wonderful and the caring gestures from Carl towards the baby are lovely. We loved the way Carl does the babies snowsuit up with his teeth and how they all fall asleep together after their adventure! It's a fun idea for a picture book, I enjoy the way this is almost totally set in reality apart from the baby riding a dog around like a small horse with nobody batting an eyelid! If this had been slightly longer it would have been perfect. We are really looking forward to reading more in this series.
The painted illustrations are beautiful, the expressions of both dog and humans are wonderful and the caring gestures from Carl towards the baby are lovely. We loved the way Carl does the babies snowsuit up with his teeth and how they all fall asleep together after their adventure! It's a fun idea for a picture book, I enjoy the way this is almost totally set in reality apart from the baby riding a dog around like a small horse with nobody batting an eyelid! If this had been slightly longer it would have been perfect. We are really looking forward to reading more in this series.
December 9, 2019
I love Carl. I wonder how many people went out and bought Rottweiler's after reading this book? I never did, but Carl is my "rottweiler". There's no words, but the story is just as big and sweet without them.
December 21, 2019
So sweet!! My three-year-old with Down Syndrome especially loved this one!
July 9, 2022
"We're going to Grandma's and then to church. Take good care of the baby, Carl."
What MADNESS is this? The premise of the series is that Mom leaves her baby in the Rottweiler's care all the time, but there's usually some excuse for this, however flimsy it is. This just raises more questions. Why on EARTH is she not taking the baby to Grandma's? How is Grandma going to react when the parents show up without their baby? Does Grandma hate babies? Did Grandma ask them to get a babysitter so that she can avoid seeing her granddaughter? Maybe Grandma does hate babies, and abandoned her daughter's care to a family pet. Maybe that's why Mom thinks this is so normal. It's an intergenerational problem.
From there, the book is wordless. Carl and the baby go rollicking through the town, which is decorated for Christmas, and no one shows the slightest concern. In addition to the obvious issue of the baby's safety, I could hear my mother's voice in my head saying, "The baby should NOT ride on Carl like that. Dogs are not horses! Big dogs are especially prone to getting hip dysplasia, and you should never sit on a dog like that."
Later, Santa shows up, taking this book to even more surreal levels. This is perfect for people who are committed to the Carl series and love its fantastical elements, but it's weird as a Christmas book, and those who struggle to handle the bizarre elements of the Carl books will find this one especially overwhelming.
What MADNESS is this? The premise of the series is that Mom leaves her baby in the Rottweiler's care all the time, but there's usually some excuse for this, however flimsy it is. This just raises more questions. Why on EARTH is she not taking the baby to Grandma's? How is Grandma going to react when the parents show up without their baby? Does Grandma hate babies? Did Grandma ask them to get a babysitter so that she can avoid seeing her granddaughter? Maybe Grandma does hate babies, and abandoned her daughter's care to a family pet. Maybe that's why Mom thinks this is so normal. It's an intergenerational problem.
From there, the book is wordless. Carl and the baby go rollicking through the town, which is decorated for Christmas, and no one shows the slightest concern. In addition to the obvious issue of the baby's safety, I could hear my mother's voice in my head saying, "The baby should NOT ride on Carl like that. Dogs are not horses! Big dogs are especially prone to getting hip dysplasia, and you should never sit on a dog like that."
Later, Santa shows up, taking this book to even more surreal levels. This is perfect for people who are committed to the Carl series and love its fantastical elements, but it's weird as a Christmas book, and those who struggle to handle the bizarre elements of the Carl books will find this one especially overwhelming.
April 23, 2017
Now I would never leave a toddler in the care of a dog, even a very clever dog, except possibly in a back yard that was fenced in, and only then for thirty seconds. Probably. Otherwise they'd eat all the dog's food and drink all its water. Still, in the world of the highly improbable, these are fun wordless stories.
November 14, 2019
One of my favorite children's books - get it in hardback because this one is a definite keeper. Read aloud (very few words); it's all in the timing and the truly, beautiful illustrations. This is a classic that should be shared every Christmas with children and handed down in families.
December 2, 2023
#1474 in our old book database. Rated "Indifferent"
Carl is cute as the dickens as he cares for the baby on Christmas Eve, going shopping, giving to charity, and taking in a stray dog. And once everyone else is asleep, Carl has a special encounter with a very familiar figure.
Carl is cute as the dickens as he cares for the baby on Christmas Eve, going shopping, giving to charity, and taking in a stray dog. And once everyone else is asleep, Carl has a special encounter with a very familiar figure.
November 28, 2025
My older son loved this book and all the Good Dog, Carl books. So sweet and mischievous, and full of love ❤️
December 27, 2009
There is only one page with words, the rest of this book is told by the wonderful pictures. I love Carl books and my son and I really enjoyed reading this together. We laughed at the pictures and thoroughly enjoyed the "story."
August 30, 2016
5 I love Carl stars
Rereading this series to my niece makes me remember why I LOVED it as a kid!
Rereading this series to my niece makes me remember why I LOVED it as a kid!
September 1, 2019
A Christmas book I received when I was a baby and still have today!
December 23, 2019
This is one of my favourite Christmas picture books, but I must admit that I am a fan of all the Carl books by Alexandra Day. It's also one of my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter's favourite. We are both happy to read and reread it. (Like all the Carl books, it's nearly wordless)
December 15, 2021
Exceedingly cute.
July 4, 2017
A beautiful book that is primarily a picture book that follows a Rottweiler that is left to take care of a family's baby while the parents go out (I'm none too happy with that idea)....
Basically we follow from page to page as Carl takes the baby out without a coat but a hat to run some errands around Christmas. He does a generous act and then when they get home settles down when there is a ruckus out the door that he must attend to. Who can it be? You will have to get the book to check out although this is one of my most favorite pictures in the book.
The only page that basically has any type of written story is the very beginning but the beautiful detailed pictures will capture your heart. A great book for Christmas.
Basically we follow from page to page as Carl takes the baby out without a coat but a hat to run some errands around Christmas. He does a generous act and then when they get home settles down when there is a ruckus out the door that he must attend to. Who can it be? You will have to get the book to check out although this is one of my most favorite pictures in the book.
The only page that basically has any type of written story is the very beginning but the beautiful detailed pictures will capture your heart. A great book for Christmas.
April 7, 2021
Classic.
I used to have this book when I was little and I always called these type of dogs, "Carl dogs". To this day whenever I see a Rottweiler I think of Carl.
This book is mostly wordless. We watch Carl take Baby, yes Mom and Dad leave their infant with a dog as a babysitter, out on Christmas Eve for various yuletide adventures. At the end Carl even meets Santa (his facial expression when he discovers the reindeer is precious). Surely this sweet book with melt the heart of even the most grinchy Scrooge.
This is the ultimate Christmas picture book.
I used to have this book when I was little and I always called these type of dogs, "Carl dogs". To this day whenever I see a Rottweiler I think of Carl.
This book is mostly wordless. We watch Carl take Baby, yes Mom and Dad leave their infant with a dog as a babysitter, out on Christmas Eve for various yuletide adventures. At the end Carl even meets Santa (his facial expression when he discovers the reindeer is precious). Surely this sweet book with melt the heart of even the most grinchy Scrooge.
This is the ultimate Christmas picture book.
October 28, 2016
Can't go wrong with Carl! (In solidarity with Alexandra Day's books of few words, my review shall be of few words.)
December 7, 2016
We enjoyed this wordless board book. The dog taking care of the baby was so cute.
June 7, 2021
Adorable book for toddlers.
December 4, 2015
I don't normally review kids books on Goodreads but every so often one comes along for good or bad that deserves mention. This book....I just don't know where it should go?!?!?!?!?
First off, it's not much of a book as there's hardly any reading... I guess it would be considered a picture book? I don't know? I got it for my 5 year old kid and I had to make up the story to which he started to get behind. No problem, I'm one of those Geek dads that can spin a yarn with my overly active imagination.
But....the very first page has the only sentence, "We're going to Grandma's and then to church, take good care of the baby, Carl." ...And with that sentence we start our trip into Hell!
As I read that sentence my kid looked at me with a puzzled look on his face and I just sort of looked back at him and forced a tiny reassuring smile! Now if Carl would've been an older sibling or a grandparent that sentence would've been fine....but Carl is the family dog...not just any dog...but a big ol' Rottweiler!!!! Holy crap, did that just happen? The parents literally just abandon the baby to the dog! Somebody call Child Protective Services!
So Carl somehow puts the baby on his back, by the way...I don't know if the baby is a boy or a girl? It just hit me...maybe it's both? We live in a bit of a complicated world nowadays and it could be...not that there's anything wrong with that! First it's wearing pink footies and then blue footies. Let's just call the baby "Pat"...yeah, that's a good dual-purpose name....Pat!
So Pat is on Carl's back going down the stairs because y'know...that's not dangerous or anything! Then Pat starts playing with ribbons and wrapping stuff up and Carl decides to bring it some Christmas lights...in his mouth. Once again...no prob...totally safe, right? We won't even get into the whole Pat playing with fragile Christmas ornaments because honestly it's not like baby Pat can actually drop one of them and get cut or anything right....that would be ridiculous!
Then Carl brings Pat another set of pajama's and a little hat because that'll keep a baby warm in -20 degree weather right? Sure enough they venture out into the cold and make a trip to town where no one questions what's happening as they're too scared of this big ol' dog!
Somehow Carl wins a Christmas basket, which he promptly gives to one of those Salvation Army Bellringing Santa's. Too bad cause it looked like there was some good stuff in that basket: coffee, chocolate, rhubarb, cassava, nutmeg, and a can of Raid....all good stuff for a baby!
That selfless little Pat actually gives away his/her hat to the Salvation Army Santa. Now the Salvation Army Santa is a real jerk because he should be like, "No, little baby, keep your hat or you'll freeze to death out here in the cold!" But instead he takes Pat's hat and then just smiles. I have a whole theory about that Santa actually being a serial killer sort of like John Wayne Gacey...but that's a different story.
So Pat and Carl cruise around town and go check out some Christmas Carolers. A nice lady decides to give Pat her scarf, but instead of wrapping Pat up with it y'know...maybe around his/her neck for warmth...the lady literally just tosses it casually on Pat's head where it can easily fall off. I have a whole theory about that Caroler being a rich snob who's unfaithful to her husband and has a bad drinking habit...but that's a different story.
Alright, lets continue. Pat and Carl cruise around and look inside people's windows and they see 2 kids staring into a fireplace longingly waiting for Santa. These 2 kids have been abandoned by their parents too and poor Carl and Pat have a chance to get a support group going here and all they have to do is go knock on the door and say, "We feel your pain too!" But instead they just decide to deal with their loneliness together...
Off they go running and slipping and sliding in the snow and whoops...there goes Pat's scarf! Oh well, Pat was better off without it right?! At this point ol' Carl is getting tired of a 15 lb baby on his bag with a soiled diaper so he decides to head home. There's a dog that follows him home...don't know the dog's name but it looks like a Skip!
On the next page we see Pat, Carl, and Skip warming themselves in front of the fire and although Pat has a desire to crawl right up to the fire and see if it's hot or not, common sense gets the better of him/her. Funny thing is now there's a big fat orange cat...reminds me of my parents cat Keke...so we'll go with that. There's also a pair of mice hanging out trying desperately to win over the affection of Keke so they won't get devoured! It's a tough life being a mouse! Keke and the two mice just sort of showed up unannounced and crashed the whole party and take advantage of the nice warm fireplace. Chances are all these animals tracked in a ton of mud and left behind a ton of fleas!
It must've been a wild party because soon everyone is passed out! There's dog paws in the air, cat whiskers flattened out, a drooling baby sprawled on the floor, and a couple of mice tails curled up from too much eggnog. But ol' Carl hears a noise and just heads outside because the door was left open the entire time! Sure enough jolly ol' Santa shows up with his sleigh and reindeer with a bag of gifts. Now this is the part that puzzles me cause Santa walks in the front door while his sleigh is parked out front and then after giving gifts to Pat and all the animals he shoots up the chimney!?!?! Guess Santa is getting a bit forgetful. It was adorable to see all the animals given gifts: cheese for the mice, a bone for Skip, a fish for Keke, and a new hat for Pat! Yah, that's right....talk about getting short changed...Pat got a frikkin' hat! No baby wants a frikkin' hat! How about some toys or something? Even a pacifier is better than a hat!
After that Carl puts Pat on his back and takes him upstairs. They don't show what happens after that...they just show Carl sleeping on the floor with a new dog collar. Did Carl get tired of Pat and devour him? Did Pat die of hypothermia or Pneumonia? Did the party animals asleep in the den wake up and trash the rest of the house? Did Santa actually get stuck in the chimney and slowly starve to death? This ending is like one of the greatest cliffhangers I've ever seen. It's worse than waiting 5 years for Back to the Future 2 after seeing part 1.
The very last picture of the book is an ominous paw print in the snow as the author clearly wants us to know that Carl is out there watching and waiting for us!
As for the family....they never returned! I'm assuming they were gunned down in an alley by a mugger or something and Pat will grow up to be a billionare and use his/her fortune to fight crime as a superhero...that is if Carl doesn't get to him/her first!
First off, it's not much of a book as there's hardly any reading... I guess it would be considered a picture book? I don't know? I got it for my 5 year old kid and I had to make up the story to which he started to get behind. No problem, I'm one of those Geek dads that can spin a yarn with my overly active imagination.
But....the very first page has the only sentence, "We're going to Grandma's and then to church, take good care of the baby, Carl." ...And with that sentence we start our trip into Hell!
As I read that sentence my kid looked at me with a puzzled look on his face and I just sort of looked back at him and forced a tiny reassuring smile! Now if Carl would've been an older sibling or a grandparent that sentence would've been fine....but Carl is the family dog...not just any dog...but a big ol' Rottweiler!!!! Holy crap, did that just happen? The parents literally just abandon the baby to the dog! Somebody call Child Protective Services!
So Carl somehow puts the baby on his back, by the way...I don't know if the baby is a boy or a girl? It just hit me...maybe it's both? We live in a bit of a complicated world nowadays and it could be...not that there's anything wrong with that! First it's wearing pink footies and then blue footies. Let's just call the baby "Pat"...yeah, that's a good dual-purpose name....Pat!
So Pat is on Carl's back going down the stairs because y'know...that's not dangerous or anything! Then Pat starts playing with ribbons and wrapping stuff up and Carl decides to bring it some Christmas lights...in his mouth. Once again...no prob...totally safe, right? We won't even get into the whole Pat playing with fragile Christmas ornaments because honestly it's not like baby Pat can actually drop one of them and get cut or anything right....that would be ridiculous!
Then Carl brings Pat another set of pajama's and a little hat because that'll keep a baby warm in -20 degree weather right? Sure enough they venture out into the cold and make a trip to town where no one questions what's happening as they're too scared of this big ol' dog!
Somehow Carl wins a Christmas basket, which he promptly gives to one of those Salvation Army Bellringing Santa's. Too bad cause it looked like there was some good stuff in that basket: coffee, chocolate, rhubarb, cassava, nutmeg, and a can of Raid....all good stuff for a baby!
That selfless little Pat actually gives away his/her hat to the Salvation Army Santa. Now the Salvation Army Santa is a real jerk because he should be like, "No, little baby, keep your hat or you'll freeze to death out here in the cold!" But instead he takes Pat's hat and then just smiles. I have a whole theory about that Santa actually being a serial killer sort of like John Wayne Gacey...but that's a different story.
So Pat and Carl cruise around town and go check out some Christmas Carolers. A nice lady decides to give Pat her scarf, but instead of wrapping Pat up with it y'know...maybe around his/her neck for warmth...the lady literally just tosses it casually on Pat's head where it can easily fall off. I have a whole theory about that Caroler being a rich snob who's unfaithful to her husband and has a bad drinking habit...but that's a different story.
Alright, lets continue. Pat and Carl cruise around and look inside people's windows and they see 2 kids staring into a fireplace longingly waiting for Santa. These 2 kids have been abandoned by their parents too and poor Carl and Pat have a chance to get a support group going here and all they have to do is go knock on the door and say, "We feel your pain too!" But instead they just decide to deal with their loneliness together...
Off they go running and slipping and sliding in the snow and whoops...there goes Pat's scarf! Oh well, Pat was better off without it right?! At this point ol' Carl is getting tired of a 15 lb baby on his bag with a soiled diaper so he decides to head home. There's a dog that follows him home...don't know the dog's name but it looks like a Skip!
On the next page we see Pat, Carl, and Skip warming themselves in front of the fire and although Pat has a desire to crawl right up to the fire and see if it's hot or not, common sense gets the better of him/her. Funny thing is now there's a big fat orange cat...reminds me of my parents cat Keke...so we'll go with that. There's also a pair of mice hanging out trying desperately to win over the affection of Keke so they won't get devoured! It's a tough life being a mouse! Keke and the two mice just sort of showed up unannounced and crashed the whole party and take advantage of the nice warm fireplace. Chances are all these animals tracked in a ton of mud and left behind a ton of fleas!
It must've been a wild party because soon everyone is passed out! There's dog paws in the air, cat whiskers flattened out, a drooling baby sprawled on the floor, and a couple of mice tails curled up from too much eggnog. But ol' Carl hears a noise and just heads outside because the door was left open the entire time! Sure enough jolly ol' Santa shows up with his sleigh and reindeer with a bag of gifts. Now this is the part that puzzles me cause Santa walks in the front door while his sleigh is parked out front and then after giving gifts to Pat and all the animals he shoots up the chimney!?!?! Guess Santa is getting a bit forgetful. It was adorable to see all the animals given gifts: cheese for the mice, a bone for Skip, a fish for Keke, and a new hat for Pat! Yah, that's right....talk about getting short changed...Pat got a frikkin' hat! No baby wants a frikkin' hat! How about some toys or something? Even a pacifier is better than a hat!
After that Carl puts Pat on his back and takes him upstairs. They don't show what happens after that...they just show Carl sleeping on the floor with a new dog collar. Did Carl get tired of Pat and devour him? Did Pat die of hypothermia or Pneumonia? Did the party animals asleep in the den wake up and trash the rest of the house? Did Santa actually get stuck in the chimney and slowly starve to death? This ending is like one of the greatest cliffhangers I've ever seen. It's worse than waiting 5 years for Back to the Future 2 after seeing part 1.
The very last picture of the book is an ominous paw print in the snow as the author clearly wants us to know that Carl is out there watching and waiting for us!
As for the family....they never returned! I'm assuming they were gunned down in an alley by a mugger or something and Pat will grow up to be a billionare and use his/her fortune to fight crime as a superhero...that is if Carl doesn't get to him/her first!
November 9, 2022
Okay, Okay. . .in reality, the parents would have been remanded to custody, the baby placed in DCFS, and Carl either placed at ASPCA or Paws. But if you can suspend disbelief, this is just a wonderful series. Carl, as usual, is left in charge of baby. While the parents are gone, Carl and baby go on journeys, even adventures. This one is the Christmas book, and it does not disappoint. Foremost is Alexandra Day's artistry. Carl, a Rottweiler with docked tail and all, has such an expressive face but within the possibilities of real dogdom. Gentle, loving, interested, Carl's expressions help tell the tale. And the author artist has clearly spent time closely observing babies. The way the baby's foot points and the little finger movements, all just perfect. The story itself is gentle and kind, truly in keeping with the season. Carl even meets Santa. Another excellent book in the Carl series!
March 20, 2019
Carl's Christmas is a cute wordless children's book! This book tells the story of Carl, a dog, who is left home alone to babysit! Carl is left home alone with the baby, and they do all sorts of things together on Christmas Eve! They decorate the christmas tree, and even have a visit from Santa Claus!
This book was so cute, and I again love that the story was told without words!! The illustrations are beautiful, and I think that the story was super fun!
You could definitely use this book in a classroom! You could have the students infer what is going to happen next in the story, since there are no words. You could also work on sequencing, and have the students retell the story after the initial read. This book would be super fun to read around Christmas time, and tie in with the holiday theme!
This book was so cute, and I again love that the story was told without words!! The illustrations are beautiful, and I think that the story was super fun!
You could definitely use this book in a classroom! You could have the students infer what is going to happen next in the story, since there are no words. You could also work on sequencing, and have the students retell the story after the initial read. This book would be super fun to read around Christmas time, and tie in with the holiday theme!
October 2, 2022
Carl's Christmas is a festive version of a little girl and her beloved dog. Carl, a giant dog, is left to babysit his toddler human girl for an afternoon. Readers go a Christmas adventure with the duo through a beautifully illustrated wordless picture book. The two encounter the magic of Christmas and make precious memories together. The thought of a dog being a babysitter is both absurd and endearing.
Teachers can use this book with 1st grade students to build character and event skills. An activity example: students are organized in groups. Each group comes up a graphic organizer that describes how they perceive Carl and the little girl. They can also organize the key events form beginning to end using pictures.
Teachers can use this book with 1st grade students to build character and event skills. An activity example: students are organized in groups. Each group comes up a graphic organizer that describes how they perceive Carl and the little girl. They can also organize the key events form beginning to end using pictures.
November 30, 2020
This is the first Carl book we have read, but now that we have, the rest of them are on our must-read lost. The book is almost completely wordless, other than the opening page and a couple of signs To read. But it will take you just as long as a book with words because the illustrations pull you in and keep you there. They are beautiful, and have so much detail that the book doesn't need words. It manages to be so many things: sweet, funny, adorable, adventurous, inspiring, and evokes the perfect feelings For celebrating Christmas.
May 16, 2021
This is a wonderful children’s story with a lot of detailed drawings but not much text. The story is that a rottweiler named Carl (the babysitter) takes care of Baby. Carl and Baby have an adventure on Christmas Eve before Santa arrives.
It’s a cute ending that another dog seems to join the family.
Now I have seen people complain that the human child is left in the care of the family dog. I would like to remind such people that this is a children’s story. Magic happens. Enjoy.
https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade...
It’s a cute ending that another dog seems to join the family.
Now I have seen people complain that the human child is left in the care of the family dog. I would like to remind such people that this is a children’s story. Magic happens. Enjoy.
https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade...
December 11, 2025
This is mainly a wordless picture book that is beautifully illustrated. It is about Carl taking care of the baby while the adults go to church on Christmas Eve and the holiday adventure Carl and baby take part in. The holiday playful holiday story needs no words and truly tells the story perfectly. Alexandra Day´s illustrations have a classic look and are warm and appealing. It is truly a fun story to share with a very young child - or just about anyone who loves Christmas and baby-sitting dogs!
December 11, 2019
I found this book on the Read Aloud Revival’s favorite Christmas picture books.
This book starts off with words on the first page and the rest is a wordless book. I don’t normally like wordless books, but this one was so darn cute! I “read” this one to my five year old son and it was his favorite Christmas book this year! We could easily read this one over and over and he will also enjoy looking it at it by himself as well!
This book starts off with words on the first page and the rest is a wordless book. I don’t normally like wordless books, but this one was so darn cute! I “read” this one to my five year old son and it was his favorite Christmas book this year! We could easily read this one over and over and he will also enjoy looking it at it by himself as well!
January 9, 2019
A sweet, almost-wordless picture book about a dog named Carl caring for his baby on Christmas Eve. I love the careful babysitting that takes place (decorating a tree, going shopping, caroling, etc.). And I love that Santa makes sure everyone gets a gift. A lovely book which appeals across multiple age groups.
November 10, 2020
Carl’s Christmas by Alexandra Day is a book about a dog named Carl who is left in charge of a baby on Christmas Eve. The only text in the book is on the first page, and the rest of the story is told in pictures. The pictures show how much Carl cares for the baby. I received this book for Christmas when I was 7 months old, and it has always been a favorite of mine.
December 18, 2021
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As Mom and Dad go off to visit Grandma on Christmas Eve, Carl is again left in charge of Baby for a fantastic Christmas adventure.
This Yuletide exploit is full of holiday giving. A Christmas gift basket won and Baby’s hat are donated to the needy. They join carolers and are gifted with a scarf for Baby’s little head.
All is merry and bright with mine and Parker’s first Christmas story together.
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As Mom and Dad go off to visit Grandma on Christmas Eve, Carl is again left in charge of Baby for a fantastic Christmas adventure.
This Yuletide exploit is full of holiday giving. A Christmas gift basket won and Baby’s hat are donated to the needy. They join carolers and are gifted with a scarf for Baby’s little head.
All is merry and bright with mine and Parker’s first Christmas story together.
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