Wednesday, September 19, 2012

More, More, More: Clifford Collection



Let's hear it for the dog! He's 50 years old, and you can see him in all his glory in Norman Bridwell's Clifford Collection! I grew up loving Clifford. How about you? Thanks to Scholastic, you can now enjoy the first six stories together in one volume.

I had a blast revisiting these works by Norman Bridwell. What a joy to return to the original images. In these first stories, even more so in book one, Clifford had a sketchier line and more white spaces in his red coat. Reading through the collection made me feel as if I had found my long lost friend.

Only now do I realize that as a child I spent much time worrying about Clifford: his bad habits; how to feed him; and that new neighbor, Martha, who tried to best Clifford with her own pooch. These were my concerns, I can tell you! I went on to include both the names Emily and Elizabeth in my daughters' names without realizing the nod to Norman.

The collection features a fantastic intro by Norman, followed by the history of Clifford, and a photo of the real Emily Elizabeth. Then it's off into the six stories. What a keepsake! Happy Birthday, Clifford!

Norman Bridwell's Clifford Collection
by Norman Bridwell
Scholastic Inc.

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