Carl's Masquerade [Hardcover]

Another superb tale of the innocence of childhood shared with Man's Best Friend -- or in this case, an infant's.
If you know the Carl range of books, then this is another charming variation on the theme and you know what you're in for.

But if you're new to the range and are wondering if the book is appropriate to your child's library, BUY WITH CONFIDENCE. It most certainly is.

Essentially, the range follows a familiar theme: an infant explores the adult world with the beloved Carl (the Rottweiler) in tow and together they have a clandestine adventure -- always just out of view of the infant's parents, but always under Carl's supervision and care. Together, as best friends, they explore and play together without being discovered -- and make it safely back home just in the nick of time before the parents arrive home and their secret excursion is rumbled -and the secret adventure is kept just between the two of them with no harm done.

Now, some kill-joy reviewers state that they find the notion of a child being "babysat" by a Rottweiler as either unsettling or just plain wrong, citing child neglect.
I say that these people have totally forgotten the childish delight and whimsy of having a secret and having fun. It's just an imaginative childrens story ! It's not real. If they want reality, perhaps they should just read the newspaper to them -- or discuss the psychosocial parallels of The Lord of the Flies with them at bedtime ? These people are killjoys in life and are probably all lawyers or politicians. <Yawn!> Spare me.

And as a Rottie owner myself, I can tell you that the fictional child is in NO DANGER with this fictional Rottie -- the story reinforces all that is factual and best loved about these amazing dogs; very intelligent, loyal to a fault, extremely watchful, mindfully protective, playful and kind.

The book is heavy on beautiful illustration and light on text, so it's rather self-explanatory and easy to follow from an adult leading and describing the story (not reading) and a child following along.

Carl rocks. Good dog, Carl !

I just "read" this book to my little sister and brotherlast night for a bedtime story, and we all loved it! It was very cute and sweet, with beautiful illustrations. There are minimal words on only about 3 pages, and the rest of it is a picture book. Great great story that leaves you smiling and laughing though! We really enjoyed it!

Carl's Masquerade is a beautifully illustrated, clever and humorous book aimed at preschoolers. On page one, the parents announce that they're going to a masquerade party, and tell their Rottweiler, Carl, "take good care of the baby." Therein lies the problem. In real life, parents who leave their baby unattended by humans and go off to a party, are guilty of child neglect. But this book presents this scenario as being cute and funny. Adults and older children reading this book can make the distinction that this is inappropriate behavior in real life, but the book's young target audience cannot.

Once the parents leave for the party, Carl takes the baby to the same big party, where they get admitted because the greeter at the door thinks they're in costume. Once in the door, the story is told only with pictures. At the party, Carl and the baby (who appears to be about a year old) see many interesting costumes and have fun adventures. The pictures are quite amusing and clever, such as when Carl sees what he thinks is a cat, but is really a human in a cat costume. Visual humor is the book's major strength. Although the baby spots her parents, the parents are always looking the other way and don't see the baby. Carl manages to get the baby home and safe in her crib just before the parents come home.

Although I wish I could recommend this beautifully illustrated, clever, humorous book, I simply can't, because of the parents' irresponsible behavior. I just don't count on preschoolers being able to make a distinction that this is a fantasy. Also, it might play on fears they have of being left alone. However, it's worth a quick "read" for adults and older children to enjoy the clever visual humor of Alexandra Day.