My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me about Life, Love and Laughing Out Loud

Multi-Emmy-winning Kevin Clash, the voice and hands behind the beloved "Elmo," has written a book that explores the wonders of childhood and the desire to follow one's dream. Written in a breezy style, Clash reflects on his lifelong desire to entertain with puppets, starting as a neighborhood entertainer to work on local television shows to national exposure on "Captain Kangaroo" and ultimately worldwide success on "Sesame Street." Along the way to stardom among the preschool set, Clash was aided by the loving encouragement of parents, siblings, teachers, and mentors. The author does a good bit of name-dropping for he is truly appreciative of the assistance that all gave him to pursue his dream. It is the pursuit of that dream that makes Clash embody "Elmo" with such a strong desire to pull out the "magic" that every child possesses. Through nine wonderful one-word chapters, the author gives insight that can benefit all parents as they strive to inspire their children to achieve at their best. Elmo becomes the "universal spokesperson" for children and their right to be acknowledged for all their unique abilities and personalities. Though only possessing a high school education, Clash writes as profoundly and intelligently as any degreed child psychologist or educator. It is his inherent talent and understanding that makes him an "expert" that can provide valuable lessons in bringing up one's offspring. In one revealing reminiscence, Clash recalls a trip to the doctor when, as a teenager, he was stricken with an appendicitis. When asked by the doctor, "Do You drink?" "Do you smoke?" and "Have you had sex?", respectively, Clash responded with "No" to all three. The doctor then responded "What are you, a d*** angel?" Kevin Clash may not be an angel but he is indeed a godsend, here to bring smiles and laughter, as well as encouragement, to the children (and their parents) of the world. Chapter Titles 1) Love 2) Joy 3) Creativity 4) Tolerance 5) Courage 6) Friendship 7) Cooperation 8) Learning 9) Optimism

I was lead to read this book (from the library) after seeing an interview with Kevin Clash. I am so impressed with this book that I plan to not only purchase one for myself, but to recommend or buy it for any parents of young children in my life. It's an interesting and entertaining book about Kevin's life and how he came to be Elmo on Sesame Street where he was able to live out professionally his love and obsession with puppets from childhhod on. The encouragement and love he received from his family are inspirational and wonderful examples of good parenthood. The book has given me a better insight into Sesame Street as a program and especially Elmo and the special relationship he has with young children and adults alike. This is not a book for children, but I think gives some of the best parenting advice I've seen anywhere in a "show" rather than "tell" way so desired by writers. I wish I had had this book to read when I was raising my children 20+ years ago!

Reviewed by Audrey Hauser for Reader Views (9/06) The subtitle, "What Being Elmo Has Taught Me about Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud," pretty much lets you know what this book is about. Kevin Clash didn't just create Elmo, he is Elmo. "Elmo's World" is based on the world that Kevin grew up in. Much of his experiences of growing up sharing a bedroom with 3 siblings, yet finding room to have his own creative space, lets us see how the author has drawn from his early life's experiences to create puppets that can act out real feelings on the puppet stage. All through the book, the author gives us glimpses of how he related to his older brother and two sisters in those years of growing up in the house in Turner Station. He also shows how the strong influence of supportive parents let him be different from other children by making his puppets and performing. He was allowed to use "found" objects for his puppets and this could be anything from his mother's fluffy slipper to a piece of wood found on an abandoned lot. The gift of their love is with him throughout his book. Early breaks brought him the opportunity to work with Muppet creator Jim Henson on a temporary basis, but this was the opening to his life as a puppeteer for the show "Sesame Street." The concept for Elmo came about with the need for a character that very young children could relate to. Elmo is a perpetual 3 and a-half-year-old who loves everyone. Love is his favorite word. His voice and high-pitched laugh are so unlike Kevin Clash's own voice that people are surprised that he actually performs as Elmo. The role of Elmo lets Kevin show how children express love and joy so openly and without reservations. He gains an even better understanding of Elmo's age group when his own daughter Shannon is born. One thing that led him to new story lines and new puppets was his observation that children have such unrestrained and vivid imaginations. Elmo is a success because Kevin had the talent of seeing the world through Elmo's eyes. Elmo became popular with grownups because he gives them the permission, even for a short time, to be children again. Sesame Street is the avenue where the puppets can learn how to handle many issues that real children are up against. One of these is diversified races getting along together. Tolerance is something that children can learn from the Sesame Street characters who come up against the race thing in their little community. It has been an opportunity to teach children that people really aren't so different after all. Another issue that came up dealt with bullies and how to cope with them. Loss of loved ones was not skirted around after 9/11, but instead was dealt with on a child's level. It didn't go unnoticed that many children in the New York City area and around the country had many fears following that horrific day. The producers of the show decided to address fears using Elmo's fear of fire. NY City firemen took part in the

"With Elmo as my partner, with my family as my inspiration, I've learned that love works best when we keep it simple, when we remember to say it and show it, and, most of all, when we share it." This is just one of the countless insights and life's lessons that Kevin Clash imparts in his adorable gift book, "My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud." An easy and enjoyable read, this book is one of the most enthralling of the many inspirational life stories I have encountered. My Life as a Furry Red Monster is divided into nine chapters: love, joy, creativity, tolerance, courage, friendship, cooperation, learning, and optimism. In each chapter, Clash (as himself or through Elmo) reveals his experiences, emotions, and reactions to the people and situations around him, and, in a very subtle manner, imparts the lessons he learned along the way. Using anecdotes and snippets from his life as the-man-behind-Elmo, Clash tells us of his early childhood sitting close to the television gaping at Sesame Street characters, and later performing with puppets on stage in the community hall. He shares his awe on his first trip to the huge warehouse where they created Big Bird and Snuffalopagus, and on his first appearance in the Macy's Parade. He tells us of his nervous excitement over meeting and eventually working with his childhood idols Jim Henson and Frank Oz, and winning his first of several Emmy awards. The book is engaging not only because the real life Kevin Clash/Elmo persona is a fairy tale success story everyone would envy; not only because the three-and-a-half-year-old red-furred monster's laughter, innocence, and unconditional love is heartwarming; but also because the book overflows with touching highlights, moving revelations, and simple ways to discover life's complex lessons. Kevin Clash's life as Elmo is colorful, uplifting, and inspirational. He wrote this book for us as his way of practicing one of the best lessons he learned -- that love works best when we share it. - Ruby Bayan, OurSimpleJoys.com

When you see furry characters like Elmo and all his little buddies, you often wonder about the people behind the characters. I saw Kevin once on Oprah and he's very different to how you'd imagine (6 Foot guy with a deep voice) - you'd almost think Elmo was brought to life by a female. Kevin has writen this book because while everyone is so excited about meeting and knowing Elmo, but he wants the public to know what Elmo has meant to him over the past 20 years or so. Kevin (as Elmo) has had a whirlwind of fun bringing Elmo to life. He's gotten to travel the world and meet so many amazing people. He watched Seasame Street for the first time when he was 10 years old and he was hooked by the puppetry. Right out of high school he started to get involved. He has his own daughter and he learned from her that he acts out Elmo based on his genuine love not only for his daughter Shannon but also all kids. He says in the book that if you wonder what it is about this loveable character that makes him so popular and why he's such a phenomenon; the answer is love. Elmo "conects with children and adults on the purest and most fundamental level, and that's the human desire to be loved. It's as simple as that". And I think he's perfectly correct (even I as an adult love Elmo). If you have kids of your own or even friends and family with little kids or even if you're just like me who's really a big kid at heart, you will love this book. It's well written and interesting and fun and you'll love every minute of reading it. I did. It's great.