CARL'S BIRTHDAY

Carl, the smart Rottweiler, is five years old in this latest in the series of (almost) wordless books, in a new adventure with Madeleine, the little girl who is left in his charge. Dog and tyke are packed off to a neighbor's house while a surprise party is prepared; during naptime, the two sneak back into their house to sample the food and check out the presents, scurrying back just before the mother comes to get them. The youngster has a wonderful lark, but Carl covers her tracks so well that the adults are none the wiser. Some of the pictorial cues in this episode are more acute than those in the earlier stories; they may need explaining to children under six. (Picture book. 4+)