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Names You Know

Norman Bridwell

How you know Norman:

Norman Bridwell is the author and illustrator of the wildly popular "Clifford" books--a franchise that boasts over 140 million books in print! He also wrote and and illustrated the children's book, "The Witch Next Door," about a kindly witch and her friendship with her two young neighbors.

Although Clifford books are based on rather ordinary events, such as camping, going to the seashore, or the circus, when the Big Red Dog comes on the scene, things start to happen!” Bridwell gets the ideas for Clifford’s behavior from other dogs—dogs in movies, dogs in stories, and, of course, dogs he’s watched over the years, including his own. After Bridwell decides what will happen in the story, he sketches it out. Next, he writes the text—first just letting the story flow and later revising it. From start to finish, the process usually takes about three months.

Norman Bridwell now resides on Martha's Vineyard with his family, where he enjoys beachcombing, photography, and, of course, creating new tales and drawings for his fans the world over.