DECATUR - It's not easy being red.

In a back room at Stevenson School on Wednesday, Brandy Lindbeck was helpless with laughter as parent liaison Jackie Hayes helped her into the heavy red costume that transformed her into Clifford, the Big Red Dog.

"My shirt's rolled up," Lindbeck said, working her arm out of one sleeve and into the costume so she could pull the shirt down. Hayes put the front paws on for her, lifted the head onto her shoulders, and there was Clifford.

"You should've seen the kids yesterday," Hayes said. "They were hugging 'him' and pulling 'his' tail."

The first-grade students knew that a classmate's mom was inside the costume, Hayes said, but some of the kindergartners might have thought the real Clifford had come to visit them, and everybody wanted a photo.

On Wednesday, Hayes obliged Michael Force and his granddaughter, Briana, who's in fourth grade, by taking a photo of them with Clifford.

This is American Education Week, and Stevenson is celebrating with a Scholastic Book fair. Clifford is Scholastic's mascot, and the school borrowed the costume from the company. Lindbeck offered to wear it, partly because she's the right height for it.

Celebrations of reading will continue today with a pajama party and family reading night from 6 to 7 p.m. at the school.

"Kids can wear their pajamas, and parents will read to their kids," Hayes said. "They can bring their favorite blanket or pillow or whatever they want."

Force said all his grandchildren like to read.

"They don't read enough," he said, giving Briana's shoulders a squeeze.

Briana, a big fan of "Hannah Montana," "High School Musical" and "Camp Rock" - Grandpa said he's familiar with the first two, but "Camp Rock" is a new one on him - found plenty of books on those at the book fair. One of the Hannah Montana books included photos and a "do not disturb" hanger for the bedroom door to keep the fans away when a girl's practicing being a pop star.

"It makes them more enthusiastic about reading when they have books about things they're already interested in," Hayes said.

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