Norman Bridwell, has Died

I LOVE CLIFFORD!!! MY boys were raised on him!!! My condolences to his family.



Norman Bridwell, creator of the beloved “Clifford the Big Red Dog” children’s books, died Friday on Martha’s Vineyard, his publisher announced Tuesday. He was 86.

Mr. Bridwell brought Clifford into the world in 1963 and ultimately wrote and illustrated more than 150 books. The character made his television debut on PBS Kids in 2000. The books, printed in 13 languages, total 129 million copies.

“Norman Bridwell’s books about Clifford, childhood’s most loveable dog, could only have been written by a gentle man with a great sense of humor,” said Dick Robinson, Scholastic’s chairman, president and CEO. “Norman personified the values that we as parents and educators hope to communicate to our children – kindness, compassion, helpfulness, gratitude – through the Clifford stories which have been loved for more than fifty years.”

Mr. Bridwell was born in 1928 in Kokomo, Indiana. He studied at the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis and then moved to New York, where he studied at Cooper Union for two years. His Clifford manuscript was turned down by nine publishers before finding a home at Scholastic, where the author remained for 50 years, the publisher said.

Mr. Bridwell originally named the character “Tiny,” but his wife, Norma, suggested he be named Clifford after her childhood imaginary friend, Scholastic said.

Before his death, Mr. Bridwell had completed two new Clifford books, which will be released in 2015:  “Clifford Goes to Kindergarten” in May and “Clifford Celebrates Hanukkah” in October.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Bridwell is survived by their daughter, Emily Elizabeth, son, Timothy, and three grandchildren.

Watch an interview with Bridwell from 2012 below.

I was sad to hear this. I loved the Clifford books, and the television show was one of my favorites when I was a child. I even had a giant stuffed Clifford. RIP Mr. Bridwell.

I loved the Clifford books when I was growing up.

Aw, I'm sorry to hear about this. My girls also loved the Clifford books. I might even have a few kicking around here.