The little ones of our acquaintance just love Clifford the Big Red Dog. I think sometimes it is his size that charms this set of viewers, as they don’t have the advantage of being big when trying to do things, and seeing Clifford makes them feel gigantic in spirit if not in actual size.
In this fun set of five stories, Clifford and friends explore the meaning of being helpful.
Clifford is undeniably a favorite with children. Adults too can feel a confidence in these gentle and entertaining stories that have Emily Elizabeth and her HUGE red dog Clifford setting out on all kinds of adventures with the intent of lending aid or giving a helping hand to someone who needs it.
Children will see the importance of helping, as well as gaining the understanding that one does not have to be big to be helpful. In A Big Help, it is not only Clifford who is interested in helping others. His buddies Cleo and T-Bone have various adventures “helping.” The aid is not always the best, in the case of helping Mr. Bleakman pack his car it is almost a disaster.
Good intentions abound and the outcomes are positive. In “Mr. Bleakman’s Special Day” the friends learn how to behave when someone acts angry and is grouchy for no apparent reason. A lesson in compassion is gently taught as T-Bone says when someone is grouchy, try to be as nice as you can to them in return. In “Little Big Pup” the gang meets Frankie a new tiny dog in town.
It is a wonderful comparison of huge Clifford, and tiny Frankie having fun, and the whole gang makes a new friend. “The Big Fetch” is a clever take on the value of teamwork, as well as the principle of kindness being its own reward. Materialism versus doing the right thing is a hard lesson for anyone to grasp.
We want to be rewarded for the good things that we do, and the dogs are no exception. “Captain Birdwell’s Treasure” is a good old fashioned story of buried treasure, and the lesson of giving credit where credit is due is emphasized when Jetta takes credit for finding the trunk, when actually it was Mac and the other dogs.
It is easy to get caught up in a story, and have to tell more and more fibs to cover your first one. Jetta learns a valuable lesson, and Birdwell Island gets a piece of its history to enjoy.
The five adventures are presented on single disc with a total running time of about 57 minutes. The packaging is especially nice, the disc is housed in a handled case that will also hold the small book of “Clifford’s Good Deeds” by author of the Clifford series Norman Bridwell.
This case allows small hands to carry their entertainment to Grandmama’s house or just to the family room to watch.
Special features included are Speckle Stories, additional animated stories, read to Clifford by Emily Elizabeth, True Life Doggie Friends, real children talking about and showing their real dogs, and a trailer gallery of other DVDs that are age appropriate for the young viewer. The Clifford The Big Red Dog is suitable for children ages 2 and up.
Clifford the Big Red Dog: A Big Help is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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