Corduroy

by Don Freeman

Corduroy has been on the department store shelf for a long time...Yet as soon as Lisa sees him, she knows that he's the bear she's always wanted. 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. And where better to start than with a quick search through the department store for a new button!Corduroy, with his unaffected simplicity and childlike emotion, is one of the best-loved bears in children's books. His story has become an irresistible childhood classic, as basic and appealing as a small bear's desire for a home and a friend and the perfect fulfillment found in the devotion of a young girl. Don Freeman was born in San Diego, California, and moved to New York City to study art, making his living as a jazz trumpeter. With this loss of his trumpet on a subway train, Mr. Freeman turned his talents to art full-time. In the 1940s he began writing and illustrat…