Corduroy - by Don Freeman (Paperback)

About the Book

"A winning, completely childlike picture book in which a stuffed bear waiting hopefully in a toy department finds a home with a little girl. Endearing, brightly colored pictures."--"Booklist." Full-color illustrations. (Baby-Preschool)

Book Synopsis

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - The treasured childhood classic that tells the heartwarming story of a little bear and a little girl finding the friend they have always wanted in each other.

"Freeman's tender tale bursts with quiet yearning, indelible images and the pure satisfaction of finding your person."--The New York Times

Corduroy lives in the toy department of a big store. Day after day he waits with all the other animals and dolls for somebody to come along and take him home. Yet as soon as Lisa sees him, she knows that he's the bear for her. Her mother, though, thinks he's a little shopworn--he's even missing a button! Still, Corduroy knows that with a bit of work he can tidy himself up and be just the bear for Lisa.

Recognizable by his namesake green corduroy overalls, Corduroy and his misadventures in the search for his button have entertained and endeared generations of readers. The timeless quality of Corduroy's story continues to appeal to children today as it has for decades, ensuring his place in everyone's heart for years to come.

Review Quotes

Corduroy has donated more than three million dollars to a charity helping children with severe illnesses, disabilities, or traumas.

Corduroy hosted Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign, which raised more than $1.5 million for early education programs. Two million children and adults read the book on the same day.

Corduroy was one of the first books inducted into the Indies Choice Book Awards Picture Book Hall of Fame.

The New York Public Library named Corduroy one of the 100 Great Children's Books from the Last 100 Years.

The National Education Association named Corduroy one of the Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children.

School Library Journal named Corduroy one of the Top 100 Picture Books for the 21st Century.

Corduroy's creator, Don Freeman, received the Kerlan Award in recognition of his singular attainments in the creation of children's literature.

Close to 20 million copies of the Corduroy books have sold in the United States and around the world.

About the Author

Don Freeman was born in San Diego, California, in 1908. At an early age, he received a trumpet as a gift from his father. He practiced obsessively and eventually joined a California dance band. After graduating from high school, he ventured to New York City to study art under the tutelage of Joan Sloan and Harry Wickey at the Art Students' League. He managed to support himself throughout his schooling by playing his trumpet evenings, in nightclubs and at weddings.

Gradually, he eased into making a living sketching impressions of Broadway shows for The New York Times and The Herald Tribune. This shift was helped along, in no small part, by a rather heartbreaking incident: he lost his trumpet. One evening, he was so engrossed in sketching people on the subway, he simply forgot it was sitting on the seat beside him. This new career turned out to be a near-perfect fit for Don, though, as he had always loved the theater.

He was introduced to the world of children's literature when William Saroyan asked him to illustrate several books. Soon after, he began to write and illustrate his own books, a career he settled into comfortably and happily. Through his writing, he was able to create his own theater: "I love the flow of turning the pages, the suspense of what's next. Ideas just come at me and after me. It's all so natural. I work all the time, long into the night, and it's such a pleasure. I don't know when the time ends. I've never been happier in my life!"

Don died in 1978, after a long and successful career. He created many beloved characters in his lifetime, perhaps the most beloved among them a stuffed, overall-wearing bear named Corduroy.

Don Freeman was the author and illustrator of many popular books for children, including Corduroy, A Pocket for Corduroy, and the Caldecott Honor Book Fly High, Fly Low.