The big red dog) by Norman Bridwell (2001-05-03) - Clifford runs to story time (Clifford

We first discovered Clifford in the early '90s when our kids were in kindergarten. They loved reading along in the car. So it was exciting to stumble onto this again - now our grandchildren are enjoying it.
Fun & Educational
Great for car trips

Sorry, because even though I'm a huge Clifford fan, this book doesn't really make sense. Teaching children manners just seems too strange when using a dog as an example. My three year old even thought it was odd. Using a favorite character like Clifford wasn't the right choice for the subject.

Unfortunately, the CD did not work. I returned the first one and received a second that did not work either. My CD player plays other CD's with no problem so I know it is not the player. The seller was very helpful in crediting my account but I was disappointed as I really wanted the backup for reading the book. The book, of course, was fine.

Clifford and Emily Elizabeth share a fun story with lively illustrations. Each page has a sentence or two -- just right for short attention spans. The Clifford stories are not great literature, but they are fun!

We love Clifford books- who doesn't!?

When you add learning proper manners into the big-red dog's story, it makes the reading even better! From the basics (please+thank you), to eating etiquette, to covering more complex mannerisms such as being a good winner (and loser), this book covers a lot of basic moral ground in a fun way!

I remember reading this book as a child. I recently bought it again at a garage sale in the area for my toddler. My daughter loves it and we read it before bedtime.

The story is simple and great for little children it is not overly wordy so toddlers will not get bored with it or lose their attention span. I enjoy the morals of the story as well how it is not easy to own a big dog and you will have a lot of fun as well as a lot of trouble from a big pet. The colorful pictures are a delight simple but genuine. My daughters favorite page is when Clifford is playing hide and seek with Emily behind the house.

We recently bought several other Clifford Stories on the store and have been pleased that they arrived quickly and our daughter is enjoying them. I recommend the small hardcover books for the smaller age children and the full size for toddlers and up.

Another great favorite for little people everywhere. I love Clifford and my children did as well. My school children did, too. Now I am sharing Clifford with a third generation. These read alongs are so wonderful for emergent readers and reluctant readers, too. I love how excited a child gets when they realize, hey, I can read. Clifford is the best. As one little child told me, Clifford is the bomb! I hope future generations of children will discover Clifford and enjoy him as much as my children both at home and at school have. Five stars.

This book is wonderful for young children. Physically, it is lightweight, which makes it easy for them to hold onto themselves. The pages are easy to turn, and in my household, that is a huge plus. I have an independent three year old whose goal in life is to do as much as she can without any help. This book makes her feel like she's a "big girl", since she can hold it and turn the pages without assistance.

The words on the pages are easy to see, and simple enough that early/young readers won't get frustrated. For parents reading to their children, you can easily see the words on the page even while your child holds the book in your lap or while sitting next to you.

This book makes for a fantastic reading experience overall. My daughter really enjoys the Clifford series. You should take advantage of the 4-for-3 offer, and also pick up Clifford's Kitten,Clifford the Big Red Dog: Clifford's Manners, and Clifford's Good Deeds. These are my daughter's picks of the Clifford litter!

The idea of having Clifford, the Big Red Dog, demonstrate good manners is full of potential fun. Obviously, we all hope Clifford has good manners, because the alternative is too scary to think about!
The book opens with this idea: "Everyone loves Clifford because he has good manners. I taught him myself," says Emily Elizabeth. You will probably want to reinforce the idea that manners are desirable by pointing out some of their other benefits, such as being the right thing to do, avoiding fights, making everyone feel respected, and helping everyone have a better time. The book emphasizes what to do more than why to do it. But parents and grandparents need to have some role in providing help with the social graces.
The book covers saying please and thank you, writing thank-you notes for presents, waiting for one's turn, picking up one's own trash, saying "excuse me" when stepping in front of others, not talking in movies, using a handkerchief when sneezing, sharing toys with friends, putting toys away, following rules (in playing tennis?), talking when angry rather than hitting, being a good sport (smiling when lose and not boasting when win), calling ahead before visiting, arriving on time, knocking before opening a door, wiping shoes before going in, shaking hands or kissing when greeting people, washing before eating, chewing with a closed mouth, not talking while chewing, helping clean up, and saying good-bye and thank you after a visit.
By having Emily Elizabeth support all of these behaviors and having taught them to Clifford, the book sets it up as an expectation that every child should do the same. That's a nice way to establish these practices as the norm, independent of a parent's speaking in favor of them.
The book's weakness is that some of the situations in the examples won't make much sense to young children (movie theaters, playing tennis, writing thank you notes before they can write, and visiting one's sister who lives in another residence). But you can talk about those, and add some new ideas into your youngster's life.
The biggest missed opportunity is that many of the illustrations could have been much funnier. Obviously, there's a fine line here that should not be crossed because a lot of slap-stick could undermine the messages. But just a teeny bit more humor would have tickled my fancy, and made the material more memorable and interesting.
After you finish enjoying this book with your child, I suggest that you think about other examples of good manners that you appreciate providing. For example, even in these egalitarian days, it's still nice to open a door, pull out a chair, and to compliment someone. What parts of the social graces do you most enjoy receiving? Be sure to pass them along, as well.
After you, if you please!