Fans of All Ages Will Fall in Love (Again) With Clifford the Big Red Dog's "Love at First Bark" Campaign This Valentine's Day!

Fans of All Ages Will Feel the Love for

Clifford the Big Red Dog^® this Valentine’s Day Season

Scholastic Media Unleashes Month-Long ‘Love at First Bark’ Campaign to Celebrate Beloved Big Red Dog and

Lasting Legacy of Author Norman Bridwell

February 2, 2015, New York, NY – Fans young and old undoubtedly remember when they first met Clifford the Big Red Dog^®, and it was love at first bark.  Now, get ready to fall in love again!  Families all around the world are in store for BIG tail-wagging Valentine’s Day fun with everyone’s favorite four-legged friend – Clifford! Beginning this month, the largest, most lovable pooch, a treasured Scholastic children’s brand, will pounce on screen, online, on shelves, and into the hearts of admirers everywhere in all new ways! 

“Clifford has been well loved for generations and continues to be a fixture in many families’ daily lives,” said Scholastic Media President Deborah Forte. “This Valentine’s Day season, we’re delighted to offer children, who may be just ‘meeting’ Clifford for the first time, as well as those who have long-adored Norman Bridwell’s gentle canine, new opportunities to welcome the iconic character into their homes.”

For more than 50 years, Clifford the Big Red Dog has left lasting paw prints on the hearts of fans of all ages. Clifford author Norman Bridwell passed away in December 2014, but his legacy lives on through his timeless stories and the fond memories he helped create among fans young and old. This Valentine’s Day season, families can celebrate love, loyalty and friendship with Clifford in a variety of ways, including:

      On the website! – Scholastic Media’s new Clifford the Big Red Dog microsite, www.scholastic.com/clifford/valentine, is a one-stop shop for all things Valentine’s Day for preschoolers, parents and teachers alike! The site’s refreshed landing page will feature a brand-new Valentine’s Day Clifford Matching Game as well as printable coloring and activity sheets, Clifford-inspired crafts, video clips and more! In addition, educators can find unique Clifford-themed Valentine’s Day curriculum and lesson plans to “spread the love” in classrooms nationwide!

      Through social media! – Fans around the world can reminisce about when they first fell in puppy love with Clifford with vintage book scans, Clifford’s puppy pictures, and shareable retro Clifford valentines, on Clifford’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

      With new activity kits to love! – Young fans will em-“bark” on an exciting journey into the incredible world of science with two brand-new Clifford the Big Red Dog activity kits from The Young Scientists Club. The perfect gifts for preschoolers this Valentine’s Day, the latest introductions to the award-winning collection include “Magic Science” and “Water Science” (SRP $19.99 each). Both imagination-inspiring kits feature a 20-page manual, narrated by Clifford’s best friend Emily Elizabeth, and come complete with all the tools fans ages 3 and up need to bring the age-appropriate experiments to life!

      In Books! – Adding to the Clifford library – which includes 128 million books in print in 19 foreign languages – fans can welcome two new books in 2015 with the upcoming publication of “Clifford Goes to Kindergarten” (April) and “Clifford’s School Story Box” (June).

      On TV! – Preschoolers can tune-in to PBS KIDS to catch a trio of Clifford Valentine’s Day-themed specials. Episodes include: Clifford the Big Red Dog’s “Big Hearted T-Bone/Cleo's Valentine Surprise” (2/10), Clifford’s Puppy Days’ “Valentine Schmalentine/Sweethearts Dance” (2/11) and Clifford the Big Red Dog’s “Clifford's Big Heart/Cleo's Valentine Surprise” (2/12). Check local listings.

      At NASDAQ! Clifford the Big Red Dog will make a larger-than-life appearance to help ring the Opening Bell at the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square on February 13!