March 26, 2018
This slender volume in bright cherry red offers motivational tips gleaned from the Corduroy books, with Freeman’s vintage illustrations featured throughout. The overalls-clad stuffed bear stands atop a stool as he reaches for elevator buttons: “You’re never too small to get where you need to go,” reads the accompanying piece of wisdom. In another illustration, Corduroy’s owner, Lisa, sews the bear’s button back on: “There’s no hurt so big that it can’t be mended by friendship.” Images show Corduroy in mid-quandary, kerfuffle, or adventure—being carried by a scruffy dog by the backseat of his overalls (“Everybody needs a little pick-me-up now and again”), swinging from a lamp (“Sometimes you have to fall so you know you’re able to get back up”), and seconds away from tipping over a box of soap chips: “Curiosity didn’t kill the bear.” Readers embarking on new adventures will be reminded that “friends come in all shapes, sizes, and species” and “there’s always a good reason to party!” The gentle advice and classic images make for an evergreen pairing. Ages 4–8.
July 1, 2018
Illustrations from the original Corduroy books and from recent titles "based on the characters created by Don Freeman" provide the inspiration for trite aphorisms such as "You're never too small to get where you need to go" and "There's no hurt so big that it can't be mended by friendship." Corduroy's fans and adult collectors may grin, but everyone else will struggle to bear it.
(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)