Corduroy by Don Freeman has been a well-loved story by children for many, many years. I remember my own mother reading it to me when I was in preschool and have heard it read to children at the preschool I currently work in many times over the past year.
Corduroy is a teddy bear in a big department store. He wears green corduroy overalls, but is missing a button. Therefore, he is often passed over by children looking to buy toys. One day, a little girl walks by with her mother and asks to buy him, but her mother says, “not today.” She comes back the next day to purchase him with her own money saved in her piggy bank, carries him home, sews a new button on his overalls, and gives him his very own bed next to her own. Corduroy is delighted to finally have a home and a true friend.
The illustrations in this book are warm and peaceful. They are watercolor based, use pastel colors, and use a variety of line-based patterns for texture. Here is a preview of the book.
This story describes very nicely the special relationship so many children have with a favorite stuffed animal. Told from the bear’s perspective, children see how important it is to treat their toys nicely. It can also be a source of comfort for children if they are traveling somewhere new. As long as they have their special stuffed toy, they have a friend with them and are not alone.
I hope you and your young reader(s) will enjoy this story as much I have over the years!
~Katharine
A few extra links you may enjoy:
· Here is a read aloud of the story
· If you just can’t get enough of Corduroy, there are many other books based on this loveable bear! Click here for a preview of A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman.
· Corduroy can be used in the classroom as a starting point for many different activities and discussions such as shopping, money, sewing, and friendship. Below are some resources teachers may find helpful in planning:
- coloring page - some lesson ideas
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