Description

About the Author

Alexandra Day is the pseudonym for Sandra Louise Woodward Darling. She is the author of Good Dog, Carl and the rest of the beloved Carl books, including Carl Goes Shopping, Carl’s Christmas, Carl’s Birthday and Carl’s Snowy Afternoon. Darling was born in 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to a large and close-knit family. Painting was a popular family recreation, and almost every family excursion included one or more easels and a variety of sketch pads, chalks, paints, and pencils. For four years, the family lived on a hundred-acre farm in Kentucky. Here young Sandra grew especially fond of riding and training horses, and became a dog owner for the first time. Living in the country also provided plenty of time for reading, a life-long passion.  Sandra illustrated her first book in 1983: The Teddy Bears' Picnic, a popular children's song by Jimmy Kennedy. That same year, she was visiting Zurich, Switzerland, when she came across a volume of old German picture sheets, one of which featured a poodle playing with a baby who was supposed to be taking a nap. This image proved the inspiration for Good Dog, Carl. The Darlings' own dog, a Rottweiler named Toby, was the model for the book's main character. Since then, two other Darling Rottweilers have posed as Carl in the seven sequels: the late Arambarri, who was named for one of the Darlings' favorite jai alai players; and Zabala, who currently moonlights as an Our Best Friend therapy dog, visiting hospitals to cheer patients.  About her work Sandra 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." Sandra lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband, Harold.

Praise for Carl's Summer Vacation…

“Carl . . . shows no signs of aging in the 11th book in a series that has 3 million copies in print. . . . It’s vintage Alexandra Day: a few words of text driven by rich, expressive watercolors.” — USA TODAY

“Young Madeleine and her loyal pup, Carl, are up to their same tricks in this charming addition to a whimsical series. . . . A strong, solid addition.” — School Library Journal

“Carl the protective Rottweiler and Madeleine the charming toddler return for another playful adventure in this popular series. . . . Day's paintings are as charming as ever, particularly in the joyful scenes of Madeleine riding on Carl's back.”  —Kirkus Reviews

“The text is minimal and rightly so, as Day knows just how to make a story move through pictures alone.” —Horn Book

“The painting's dreamlike quality captures the lazy summer day feel. Fans of Carl will delight in this summertime romp.” —BookLoons

“The attraction, as always, is the evocative watercolor art, coupled here with the fantasy of having secret fun.” —Booklist