To allow the brain to focus on the information in the illustrations this reading will look only at the illustrations and the information the illustrations provide the reader. There are no right or wrong answers in this reading. If the pages are not numbered, page 1 is the first page of text.
Mr. Freeman’s illustrations match the text. As you investigate his ink and watercolor drawings, it is easy to infer his plot. Your child may be familiar with this long-time favorite as my granddaughter was. If you are very familiar with this story, go through the illustrations to activate prior knowledge and go to the Second or Third Reading in the same sitting. (The pages are numbered in my addition.)
Pages 5 – 9:
~Meet Corduroy. What do you notice about him?
~What is the setting (location and place of the story)?
~On page 8, how are the characters feeling? Why might they be feeling this way?
~On page 9, what do you think Corduroy might be thinking?
Pages 10 – 15:
~What do you think Corduroy is doing on these pages?
~On page 14, look at the expression on Corduroy’s face. Do you think he has been on this floor of the store before?
Pages 16 – 19:
~What does Corduroy find?
~On page 18, what caused him to knock over the floor lamp? Have you ever pulled hard on something and toppled over, like Corduroy?
Pages 20 – 25:
~On page 20, who is the new character?
~Explain the events that you see in the illustrations.
~Do you think that the new character knows how Corduroy got to the bed?
Pages 26 – END:
~Explain the events that you see in the illustrations.
~Do you think that Corduroy is a real bear or a stuffed animal? Can he really feel emotions and walk? (There is no right or wrong answer. The answer will vary from child to child.)