Is Birdwell Island A Real Place

When Norman first drew Clifford, he was depicted as a large bloodhound. But over time, he became bigger and bigger and, as Norman described him, more of an “all-around dog.” As for why Clifford is his iconic color? Norman recalled, “It was red because I happened to have red paint on the drawing table that night.” (Read more here.)

Norman loved drawing his entire life. After studying at the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, Indiana, and then taking more classes at Cooper Union in New York City, Norman put together a portfolio and entered the world of children’s book illustration. But his submissions were rejected again and again, with critics telling him his work was too “ordinary.”

When Norman Bridwell passed away at 86 years old in 2014, Richard Robinson, president and CEO of Scholastic, released a heartfelt statement sharing why he believes Clifford means so much to so many readers worldwide:

Since his creation, Clifford has appeared in more than 80 books (with more than 133 million copies in print in 16 languages), an Emmy Award–winning television series, and now, a feature film!

“The magic of the character and stories Norman created with Clifford is that children can see themselves in this big dog who tries very hard to be good, but is somewhat clumsy and always bumping into things and making mistakes. What comforts the reader is that Clifford is always forgiven by Emily Elizabeth, who loves him unconditionally.”

The premise: What started as a beloved children’s book from the ’60s, turned in a phenomenon when PBS ordered the series about a lovable, but giant, red dog. Clifford, the dog in question, and his young owner, Emily Elizabeth, do their best to have fun and adventure, but their good times are often thwarted by the inconvenience of his enormous size.

The setting: Emily Elizabeth and her peeps live on Birdwell Island, a play on the creator’s name, Norman Bridwell. It’s an idyllic place with very little crime and bad things never happen. Clifford’s family had to flee the city after his size made it impossible to live here. They found refuge on a (sort of) remote island with a welcoming public and a high threshold for canine-incited destruction.

“The magic of the character and stories Norman created with Clifford is that children can see themselves in this big dog who tries very hard to be good, but is somewhat clumsy and always bumping into things and making mistakes. What comforts the reader is that Clifford is always forgiven by Emily Elizabeth, who loves him unconditionally.”

Norman loved drawing his entire life. After studying at the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, Indiana, and then taking more classes at Cooper Union in New York City, Norman put together a portfolio and entered the world of children’s book illustration. But his submissions were rejected again and again, with critics telling him his work was too “ordinary.”

This flashback episode tells the story of the day the Howards moved to Birdwell Island. The town is full of preconceived ideas about how “a big dog can mean big problems”, but they soon learn that Clifford has much to offer and they shouldnt make assumptions before they know the facts.

“The magic of the character and stories Norman created with Clifford is that children can see themselves in this big dog who tries very hard to be good, but is somewhat clumsy and always bumping into things and making mistakes,” Robinson said in a statement. “What comforts the reader is that Clifford is always forgiven by Emily Elizabeth, who loves him unconditionally.”

FAQ

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