Clifford's Puppy Days
By Chris Friesen
Every child's favorite big red dog was once
a puppy, and PBS's new fall show, Clifford's Puppy Days, recounts
the misadventures
of
Clifford and his friends at a time when he fit in his owner's
hands.
Clifford's Puppy Days is set in a city where
Emily Elizabeth and
Clifford live with Emily's parents in an apartment block, before
her love helped Clifford grow so big that they had to move.
Each episode contains three segments. Two stories
about puppy Clifford sandwich a short segment in which Emily
Elizabeth reads
her little red dog a short story that he has chosen. The stories
are populated by a regular cast of friends, including a
precocious set of kittens named Flo and Zo, Emily Elizabeth's
pet
rabbit Daffodil, the neighbor's dog Jorge, and a wild bird from
the neighborhood named Norville. Emily Elizabeth, her parents,
and various people from the neighborhood also appear in many
episodes.
Together, these friends and neighbors live and
play, learning about each other and teaching each other about
diversity,
tolerance, consideration and respect. One recurring theme is
judging others. Time and again, Clifford and his friends make
assumptions about things they see or hear, or about behavior
they
don't understand. These misunderstandings lead to fear and
prejudice at first, but these feelings are confronted and
resolved in the end. The lesson is conveyed subtly while the
show
remains entertaining. The episode's moral is emphasized in a
summary at the end of the show in the "Idea to Grow On" segment.
Another
recurring theme in Clifford's Puppy Days is literacy.
Reading is an important part of childhood development, and this
show, having its origins in a series of books, actively
encourages viewing children to become the "best-read dog" in
the
neighborhood.
Since the show's themes center on relationships
and community-building,
and the lessons are clear and unambiguous with good-quality,
colorful
animation and no offensive content, this show is suitable for
all
children.
Your local programming schedule for Clifford's
Puppy Days, along with more information and activities, can be
found in Clifford's
section, www.pbskids.org/clifford, of the PBS Kids website.
Chris Friesen is an electrical design technologist for a Canadian
recreational vehicle manufacturer. He has several hobbies,
including making
and flying kites, reading and drinking coffee. When he is not
working, he
writes from his southern Manitoba home where he lives with
his wife and
daughter.
