ABOUT THIS BOOK: CORDUROY
by Don Freeman
Every time that I read this story to my grandchildren I remember my favorite stuffed animal. It was Lady from Lady and the Tramp. Lady was my first confidant. I told her every thing from my secrets to plans for the day.
These special memories led to my selection of this popular book and to choosing the Reading Comprehension Best Practice of Activating Prior Knowledge/Making Connections. As your child and you progress through the three readings, you’ll discover that your mind will be full of memories of a favorite toy from your childhood that your imagination brought to life.
When asked how he developed the plot for Corduroy, Mr. Freeman replied, “The idea of simple basic values was running around in the back of my head.”The values of friendship and acceptance are the themes he develops. Corduroy has a flaw (missing a button on his overalls), but Lisa looks past that to spend the money in her piggy bank on him. The concept of friendship is illustrated through Corduroy’s and Lisa’s actions, concluding with the last page:
“You must be a friend,”says Corduroy. “I’ve always wanted a friend.”
“Me too!”said Lisa, and gave him a big hug.”
This book, first printed in 1968, is a perennial favorite, making many of the Top Picture Book lists that are frequently cited by Practickle. www.goodreads.com has over 98,000 ratings, averaging 4.2/5. I was surprised at the numerous websites, such as Pinterest, that have a wealth of post-reading activities.