Corduroy

Book Review By Tracey Tangarife



Corduroy Author and Illustrator Don Freeman

Original Publication Date- September 28, 1968 Publisher- Penguin Group ISBN-13: 9780140501735 Number of Pages- 32 Barnes & Noble Paperback Price- $6.99 Barnes & Noble Hardcover Price- $14.27 Age Range- 3 - 5 years
 * Bibliographical Data:**

//Corduroy// is a children's literature book that tells the story of a teddy bear named Corduroy who has been on the toy shelf in a big department store, who is now looking for a new home. One day a little girl named Lisa came into the store with her mother, and saw Corduroy on the shelf. She wanted to take Corduroy home with her but her mother told her that she had already spent a lot of money and he did not look new because he was missing a button from his overalls. After Lisa nad her mother walked away Corduroy looks down to see that he had lost his button and decided that he would go find it at night. Corduroy goes on a little adventure on his own throughout the department store looking for his button. When Corduroy makes his way upstairs and finds furniture, he goes on top of a mattress and thinks that he found his button. He tries pulling off one of the buttons from the mattress, but pulls so hard that he falls off the bed, making noise. The store's security guard finds Corduroy and takes him back to his toy shelf. The next day Lisa comes back to the store, but this time with money she had saved in her piggy bank to buy Corduroy. When Lisa and Corduroy arrive home, Lisa sews on a new button onto Corduroy's overalls. Corduroy's story ends with him getting a big hug from his new friend.
 * Summary:**

I remember always reading //Corduroy// when a was a child and loving it. It was always one of my favorite childhood books and still enjoy reading it today. //Corduroy// is a story that all children can relate to because everyone has that one toy that they have always wanted and would save money for to be able to buy it. This story focuses a lot on friendship and hard work. There is an unconditional frienship between Lisa and Corduroy and they both work hard and do whatever they can to be able to be together, Corduroy looks for his button so that Lisa can take him home, and Lisa goes intothe money she had saved in her piggy bank to bring Corduroy home. This teaches children that it does not matter how a person or something looks, it does not make them or it less special. This also teaches children that they can accomplish whatever they want if they work hard and try. The illustrations in this book are great. Each illustration goes very well with the words that are on the same page and they are a great visual for children to follow while reading or listening to the story. Children can also relate easily to the illustrations because they show Corduroy's adventure and every child has had or created their own adventure at some point. Corduroy is a character that has many childlike characteristics, for example innocence and curiosity, that really pulls not only children in, but also adults to want to just keep reading. This is a story that I plan on reading in the future to my children and my students and really do recommend it.
 * Review:**

The main theme in //Corduroy// is friendship. It is a special kind of friendship, that even though it does not really exist, it does. Corduroy and Lisa do not really know eachother when she first goes to the store with her mother and sees Corduroy, but she still wanted him in her life as a friend. The same happened with Corduroy. Corduroy noticed Lisa looking at him and that she wanted to take him home, and because Lisa's mother did not let her, Corduroy set his mind to finding his button so that he could go home with Lisa and have a friend. Even though Corduroy never found his button and still looked the way he did, Lisa still wanted Corduroy. We see this when Lisa returns to the store and goes to Corduroy's shelf and says, "I'm Lisa, and you're going to be my very own bear. Last night I counted what I've saved in my piggy bank and my mother said I could bring you home." It did not matter to Lisa that Corduroy was missing a button from his overalls and did not look new, she accepted him just the way he was. This shows and teaches children that not everything is perfect, and just because it isn't perfect does not mean it is not special. A quote that really stands out ,and should have a lot of attention paid to it, is one said by Lisa. When Lisa and Corduroy arrive at her house Lisa says to Corduroy, "I like you the way you are, but you'll be more comfortable with your shoulder strap fastened." This quote really stands out because Lisa is not trying to change Corduroy, she only wants to help him, and that is a lesson about friendship that is important to focus on. At the end of the book, another quote that shows the theme of friendship is read. This quote is easier to catch and know it is about friendship because it has the word "friend" in it. After Lisa finishes sewing a new button onto Corduroy's overalls, Corduroy says, "you must be a friend, I've always wanted a friend" and Lisa responds, "Me too!" and gave Corduroy a big hug. Corduroy did not know the meaning of friendship or what a friend was because he was on the toy shelf for so long, and this is the quote that shows that Corduroy has learned what friendship and a friend is. The friendship theme is very important to pay attention to in this book, especially when reading it to children because friendship is a topic that needs to be taught and stressed to them while they are growing and developing socially.
 * Analysis of Literary Element:**

Don Freeman is known for many works, not only the //Corduroy// series. Don Freeman was born August 11, 1908 in San Diego, California and died in 1978. He was not only an author, but also an illustrator. After Freeman graduated from high school, he went to New York City to study art with Joan Sloan and Harry Wickey at the Art Students' League. In the New York Theater, Freeman's love and passion for art began. He would be backstage sketching and drawing actors, along with everything that was out on stage. It was not until William Saroyan, asked Freeman to illustrate several books, that he was introduced to Children's Literature and soon began to write and illustrate his own books. Throughout his lifetime, Freeman wrote 20 children's books and illustrated many, but Freeman is best known for his //Corduroy// Series.
 * Author Biography:**

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