Norman Bridwell Biography

Fast Facts

• Over 44 million copies of his books are in print, and many have been translated into other languages and adapted into television shows and movies
• Studied art at the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, then took classes at the Cooper Union art school in New York for two years
• Worked as a commercial artist before he started writing, drawing cartoons, and offering his services as a freelance filmstrip and slide illustrator
• After being turned down as a children's book illustrator, one editor suggested he write his own stories to go along with his drawings, singling out a picture of a baby girl and a horse-sized bloodhound as a good place to start
• Quote: "Sometimes you'll do something that you really like and no one else does․ You'll feel terrible, but you've just got to press on and keep trying․ If you like doing it and keep working at it, then someday you will succeed․"
• Quote: "I was not good at sports and my high school shop teacher, after a few days of class, took my tools away, telling me 'Here's a pad of paper instead․ You seem to like to draw: stick to that․'"
• Bases his stories on ordinary events and makes sure that his main character, Clifford, doesn't do anything a real giant dog wouldn't be able to do in the given circumstances
• Known for writing and illustrating the "Clifford the Big Red Dog" series of children's books about a little girl and her big, red dog
• It would usually take him about three months to write and illustrate a "Clifford" book
• Named the little girl in his "Clifford" books after his daughter, Emily Elizabeth, and the giant red dog after one of his wife's imaginary friends from childhood