Corduroy (by Don Freeman)

Poor Corduroy! Why won't anyone buy him? Could it be because his overalls are missing a button? Late at night the teddy bear searches the store for his button. He never finds it, but he does find a girl who loves him and gives him a home. Heartwarming and humorous, this is a picture-book classic.

CORDUROY offers children a feel-good story line, a memorable main character, and charming illustrations. Bright, loosely drawn pictures feature scenes familiar to many children: shelves of toys, department stores, and bedrooms. The characters' facial expressions of sadness, curiosity, and joy are drawn so that even the youngest children can understand much of the story simply by looking at the pictures.

The classic book also offers the added benefit of subtle lessons in good behavior. Lisa, the kind little girl who buys and befriends Corduroy, doesn't fuss and cry in the toy department when her mother tells her that she may not buy the bear. When Lisa returns to buy Corduroy the next day, she does so with her mother's blessing and the money from her own piggy bank. Lisa looks past Corduroy's missing button and sees a friend to love.