Common Sense Media Review
After 35 years, Clifford hasn't lost his appeal.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
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?
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
- Author :
- Illustrator : Norman Bridwell
- Genre : Family Life
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
- Publication date : December 31, 1969
- Number of pages : 32
- Last updated : September 21, 2015
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