Clifford Review
Clifford has been a longtime favorite of many children and readers have watched him grow from a tiny little red puppy that was the runt of the litter to a giant red dog that is taller than a house.
All Clifford stories include a valuable lesson that parents or teachers can emphasize and the result is a learning experience that is sure not to disappoint anyone. In contrast with many other children’s stories, the morals found within the Clifford stories are very generic and do not delve into too much detail or specific religious views. As a result, they are both appropriate for use in the classroom or at home and they are designed not to offend.
Clifford’s owner, Emily Elizabeth, is a caring young girl that is constantly making new friends and doing her best to help anyone along the way. Many of the Clifford stories include the same main characters and the family is placed at the center of the story. Most of the themes revolve around friendship, family, and responsibility. Some of the lessons may be difficult for the youngest children to understand, but they will still be pleased with the books.
While most Clifford stories are designed for older children, “Don’t Wake the Puppies” is a counting book targeted to children of preschool age. Many younger children have been exposed to Clifford by older siblings that are already very much enamored with the lovable red dog. The illustrations in this counting book are quite impressive and puppies have been very successful at catching the attention of even the most difficult students or children. The book has a couple dozen pages and has significantly more material than many counting books.
“Don’t Wake the Puppies” is an excellent choice and is an appropriate story for older and younger siblings to read together.