Clifford's Puppy Days [Paperback]

Norman Bridwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1989 | Age Level: 2 and up | Series: Clifford

Recounts the antics of big, lovable Clifford when he was a very small puppy--so small thathe took baths in a soup bowl and slept in Emily Elizabeth's cap.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

There's no denying that kids love Clifford®. The Big Red Dog® has been a favorite since Norman Bridwell created him over 40 years ago. "I was working as a commercial artist in New York City. There wasn't much work, so I made some sample pictures and took them to several publishers. They all rejected my work. But one editor suggested that I try writing a book of my own to illustrate. I had done a painting of a little girl with a big red dog. That seemed like a funny idea, so I made up a story about them. I increased the dog's size from as big as a horse to as big as a house. My wife named the dog Clifford, and we named the little girl Emily Elizabeth after our daughter. In three days I had written the story and drawn the pictures for Clifford The Big Red Dog. When Scholastic called and said they wanted the book, I was stunned." Bridwell, who grew up in Kokomo, Indiana, lives now on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, with his wife, Norma. For more information about Norman Bridwell, visit: scholastic.com/tradebooks

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Cartwheel (August 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590442627
• ISBN-13: 978-0590442626
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 8.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,711,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and Fun Rather Than Hilarious, August 5, 2001

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 110,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Clifford's Puppy Days (Paperback)

Our younger daughter was very committed to Clifford stories, and got more laughs from them than anything else. That was particularly good since she was actually uncomfortable around big dogs.

If you know Clifford, you know that most of the humor comes from his "oversized" good intentions creating havoc with mere mortals and objects. Usually, Clifford saves the day for someone along the way, making good use of his size.

This book plays on the opposite theme, how ordinary objects overwhelm a tiny Clifford when he was a puppy. If you read this book first in the Clifford series, it will seem like a three or four star book. If you read it after some of the others, especially Clifford, The Big Red Dog, you will find the counter-humor much funnier and more charming. I based my rating on that way of using the book.

"Clifford wasn't always so big. When he was a puppy, he was very, very small." A ball is so big that it knocks Clifford over. A teddy bear falls over and pins him. He rides on an long-playing record on a turntable like a child would ride on playground equipment. Occasionally, he falls asleep in Emily Elizabeth's hat and cannot be found until she puts it on! He also rides on floating soap in the bath, until one day he slips off. After that, he gets his baths in a soup bowl. Daddy is "surprised" to learn that when he next eats his soup.

The main event is when Clifford climbs into Emily Elizabeth's aunt's purse without being noticed. When her aunt goes to a bake shop, she opens her purse to pay . . . and out pops Clifford, into all the gooey goodies! He makes quite mess.

How shall he get cleaned up? Her aunt bumps into a boy with a St. Bernard who likes whipped cream and makes short work of the mess. "The dog who brought him home was the biggest dog I had ever seen . . . until Clifford grew up." The last two pictures show the contrast of Clifford, before and after, with the St. Bernard in both illustrations.

Many children are attracted to the idea of having a puppy or kitten as a pet, but not to having a full-grown dog or cat. This book can be useful in explaining how the two are connected. You can also use this book to discuss with your child the ways that things that seem large to your child are really pretty harmless.

Enjoy people and animals of all sizes and shapes.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Before The Days Of The Big Red Dog, April 8, 2010

By 

Darien Summers "Author of The Mischievous Har... (San Francisco, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clifford's Puppy Days (Read with Clifford) (Hardcover)

As a big fan of puppies, kittens and baby bunnies, my daughter really enjoyed this book which tells of Clifford the dog's days as a puppy. The little girl in the tale has lots of fun playing with Clifford and sharing in his little adventures and misadventures.

This is a great book for bedtime reading, and it is illustrated with many humorous pictures.

Darien Summers, author of The Mischievous Hare, a children's book. The Mischievous Hare

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Clifford's Puppy Days, September 26, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Clifford's Puppy Days (Paperback)

Clifford's Puppy Days is a very interesting story about a girl named Emily Elizabeth and her puppy, Clifford growing up together. Emily Elizabeth realized that Clifford wasn't like any other puppy he was very very small. Emily Elizabeth had a lot of trouble playing with Clifford and giving him baths and things like that. He was always getting lost, and somehow into trouble, but things always seemed to get better in the end. I think a good part in this story was when Clifford got lost in Emily Elizabeth's Aunt's Purse, and showed up in the bakery, and ruined a bunch of cream puffs and a big wedding cake. But in the end Clifford got home and was safe again. I would recommend this story to children ages 3-7. The lesson this book teaches is to not judge people or things by there looks or sizes, to accept what you can't see, and to enjoy it.