Parents' Guide to

Clifford the Big Red Dog

By Jennifer Gennari, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

After 35 years, Clifford hasn't lost his appeal.

Book Norman Bridwell Family Life 1969
Clifford the Big Red Dog Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Dee Z.
Dee Z. Parent of 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18-year-old
July 10, 2022
age 18+

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
ms.callawayclass
ms.callawayclass Adult
January 14, 2020
age 6+

Clifford is the best

We love Clifford books because we like to read about funny dogs. clifford's dresses up as funny characters
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Emily Elizabeth has the biggest, reddest dog in the neighborhood. She has extra fun with such a big dog, but extra problems too. Silly solutions shown in the cartoonlike illustrations delight young children. The good-natured Clifford has not lost his appeal since he first appeared more than thirty-five years ago.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

Dry wit for children is unusual in these days of over-the-top silliness and bathroom humor, but Bridwell knows how to tickle a child's funny bone without pandering. He accomplishes this by juxtaposing blandly flat textual setups with expressive drawings that act as a punch line.

As one might expect in a book where the pictures make the story, Bridwell's are charming. Simple lines and colors are combined with clever cropping and a delightful range of expressions for the goofy Clifford. His sneaky tiptoeing when playing hide-and-seek, his look of surprise to find his ears propped up with sticks to make a tent, and his one-eyed glare at a burglar who's after Emily Elizabeth's piggybank all keep kids chortling -- and reading.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it would be like to have such a huge pet as part of your family. How would you take care of such a big dog?

Book Details

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