The Fairy Dogfather - Hardcover

"Move over, Mary Poppins, and make room for Carl, the ravishing rottweiler cum babysitter who makes his fourth and perhaps finest appearance yet in this gorgeously colored picture book. As with the other Carl books, these adventures are virtually wordless. When a mother meets a friend in the park, she leaves Carl in charge of her baby and the newest addition to the series, a rottweiler puppy. Carl fans know what happens next: the baby scrambles aboard Carl's back and the romp begins. Here, however, the illustrations are more dynamic and the goings-on even more beguiling than in previous outings, making wonderful use of the park setting. Carl poses like a pony on the merry-go-round; the trio rides a tiny train into a children's zoo, where the puppy incurs a ewe's maternal wrath; while the puppy wreaks more havoc, Carl and the baby model for afternoon painters, each of whom styles his canvas after a famous artist. There's lagniappe too, for gifted puzzle enthusiasts--about 20 pictures

"Twenty years after making his debut in "Good Dog, Carl", the Rottweiler who has charmed a generation of readers has lost none of his appeal--or his spunk...As in past Carl tales, Day injects wry, child-pleasing flourishes: for instance, Carl's appearances go undetected by Madeleine's mother. Playing the key role in relaying the action, Day's stunningly realistic, brightly hued illustrations are as timeless and endearing as the plot. Carl fans young and old will cheer his return as they discover that this anything-but-sleepy canine is aging very well indeed." Review for "Carl's Sleepy Afternoon, " Publishers Weekly, 2005.

"(Day's) knowledge and love of dogs and children, compounded by her keen imaginings of what they would enjoy doing together, bring joy to her playful depictions." - Booklist

"(Day's) illustrations, in lustrous oils, are a handsome counterpoint to the whimsy of the narratives." - "People Magazine"

PNBA Lifetime Achievement Award for Alexandra Day 2009 Alexandra Day has achieved in her lifetime the rare status of being widely and rightly accepted as the creator of a series of now classic children s books.In the ongoing adventures of the very good dog, Carl, Day has conjured a largely wordless, beautifully rendered world of bright colors and blissful days, the perfect fantasy of innocent exploration. Pacific Northwest Bookseller Awards Committee

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(Day s) knowledge and love of dogs and children, compounded by her keen imaginings of what they would enjoy doing together, bring joy to her playful depictions. Booklist

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Alexandra Day is the pen name of Sandra Darling. As Day, she is the creator of the picture-book classic "Good Dog, Carl" and its beloved sequels, as well as other books. As Darling, she founded the historic Green Tiger Press in 1969 with her husband. Green Tiger Press was sold to Simon & Schuster in the mid-1980's, but has since been reacquired by the Darlings under the Seattle-based Laughing Elephant Publishing. Of her work she says: "I think that one of the reasons my illustrations have appealed to people is that they can sense my sincerity. I know that marvels exist which are just outside our ordinary experience, but that at any moment we may turn a corner and encounter one of them. Children also believe this, and because they and I have this conviction in common, we, as creator and audience, make good partners."