Man’s Best Friend
By Norman Bridwell
Scholastic, $12.99, 183 pages
Clifford is back, and he is celebrating 50 big years! Now children can enjoy his first stories and adults will be reunited with the characters they grew up loving. And what’s not to love about a huge red dog that towers over everyone he meets? Beloved author Norman Bridwell presents Clifford Collection: The Original 6 Stories. A nice introduction written by Bridwell describes how he came up with the characters of Clifford and his owner, Emily Elizabeth. The six stories were written between 1963 and 1977. Young readers and will love looking at photographs of Bridwell as a child and the original never-before-seen 1962 painting of Clifford that inspired the series. There are more than 126 million Clifford books in print in thirteen languages. Many young readers will be familiar with the PBS television show “Clifford the Bed Red Dog” (now in its 12th season). Parents will be pleased with the book’s reasonable price; $12.99 for a hardback with six stories.
Bridwell’s story is an inspiration in itself. After visiting fifteen different publishing houses, he was advised to write a story to accompany a sketch of a baby girl and a horse-sized bloodhound. Enjoy the unique stories about a lovable dog that does everything children wish they could do. Clifford – man’s (and Emily Elizabeth’s) best friend.
Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin
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