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THE STORY OF CLIFFORD by Meredith Rusu

THE STORY OF CLIFFORD

by Meredith Rusu ; illustrated by Jen Oxley & Erica Kepler

Pub Date: Jan. 7th, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-57713-6
Publisher: Scholastic

Clifford’s back for a BIG adventure!

Clifford the Big Red Dog, an iconic children’s-literature character since 1963, is making a reappearance on television and in books for children, complete with a new look and a new ability, one even more powerful than his big size and big heart. For the first time, Clifford and Emily Elizabeth can talk to each other and share stories. These two have always gone on adventures together, but their newfound communication honors the bonds many children have with their pets. It’s Birdwell Island’s birthday, and Clifford leads a special parade in the island’s honor, a parade that grows and grows as all the residents join in, bringing balloons, banners, and confetti. It’s a BIG, Clifford-sized parade! Birdwell Island is full of people of all shapes, sizes, and colors—embracing and celebrating inclusion and diversity. Themes of togetherness, celebration, collaboration, and community run deep through this book, and, if previous Clifford properties are any indication, they will through the forthcoming television show as well. Lively illustrations seek to honor the traditions of Clifford by including both the slightly rough and scratchy style Norman Bridwell brought to the original books as well as the smoother, brighter style of the previous TV show while also offering novel palette colors and facial features to characters new and old.

A new twist on a timeless classic for brand-new readers.

(Picture book. 3-7)