Plush figure:Clifford

Remember your favorite teachers? The ones that taught you your letters and numbers; taught you how to tell right from wrong, and how to treat others well? The ones that inspired you to try new things, take on challenges, and overcome obstacles? Not pretty Miss Havers in the second grade. I mean your FIRST teachers like the Velveteen Rabbit, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Angelina Ballerina, George and Martha, Rotten Ralph, Ramona the Pest, Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, and the Cat in the Hat. Those favorite teachers. They taught all of us whose parents settled us down (or tried to) at the end of the day by reading us stories of our favorite characters. Toys and figures of our favorite first teachers remind us of storytelling and happy endings. The toys comfort us and reinforce the lessons we have learned. Author Norman Bridwell first published Clifford the Big Red Dog in 1963 and later expanded the story into an entire series of children's books. Decades later, Clifford remains a storybook favorite among children everywhere.