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A video interview with

Norman Bridwell

Norman Bridwell could never have guessed at the world-wide phenomenon that Clifford the Big Red Dog would become. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Norman Bridwell talks about writing and illustrating Clifford and the big dog’s success in books and on television

Click on the links below§ to watch this interview online, or read the interview transcript. You can also read a short biography of Norman Bridwell or see a selected list of his children’s books.

View online

How Clifford began (1:00)
At first he was written to be a red dog named Tiny that was only as big as a horse. But soon the idea evolved, Clifford grew, and a star was born…
A fur-covered dinosaur? (1:00)
In this video clip, Norman Bridwell describes Clifford.
Teachers find the lessons (1:00)
Many teachers use Clifford books to teach lessons to students. That is fine with Norman Bridwell – even though the lessons were unintentional.
Pencil, pen, and paint (1:30)
Bridwell walks through the illustration process for a typical Clifford book.
A big red dog that moves (1:00)
Norman Bridwell is happy with Clifford's success on TV. Even his active little granddaughter sits still for the show.
The real Emily Elizabeth (1:00)
Bridwell named the little girl in the Clifford books after his daughter. It wasn't until later in life that Emily Elizabeth realized she was famous.

^§ To play this clip, you'll need a copy of the free RealOne Player. Most computers already have it installed, or you can download it now.

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