He created many beloved characters in his lifetime, perhaps the most beloved among them a stuffed, overall-wearing bear named Corduroy.ĭon Freeman was the author and illustrator of many popular books for children, including Corduroy, A Pocket for Corduroy, and the Caldecott Honor Book Fly High, Fly Low. I've never been happier in my life!'ĭon died in 1978, after a long and successful career. I work all the time, long into the night, and it's such a pleasure. Through his writing, he was able to create his own theater: 'I love the flow of turning the pages, the suspense of what's next. This board book is perfect for fans of Corduroy and for the littlest readers getting to know the people in their neighborhood.

He thanks the firefighters and the letter carrier and stops by the library to say hello to his favorite friends. Soon after, he began to write and illustrate his own books, a career he settled into comfortably and happily. Corduroy has lots of friends around the neighborhood. He was introduced to the world of children’s literature when William Saroyan asked him to illustrate several books. This new career turned out to be a near-perfect fit for Don, though, as he had always loved the theater. One evening, he was so engrossed in sketching people on the subway, he simply forgot it was sitting on the seat beside him. This shift was helped along, in no small part, by a rather heartbreaking incident: he lost his trumpet. Gradually, he eased into making a living sketching impressions of Broadway shows for The New York Times and The Herald Tribune. He managed to support himself throughout his schooling by playing his trumpet evenings, in nightclubs and at weddings. After graduating from high school, he ventured to New York City to study art under the tutelage of Joan Sloan and Harry Wickey at the Art Students' League.

He practiced obsessively and eventually joined a California dance band. At an early age, he received a trumpet as a gift from his father. By 1978, however, I was 9 years old and not interested in Corduroy any longer.Don Freeman was born in San Diego, California, in 1908. This book is copyrighted 1978, and I love how the illustrations reflect the 70's instead of the 60's of the original Corduroy. So now she has created her own laundromat in my bedroom, and practices washing clothes. My three year old has taken to that phase, and will say when doing something new, 'I think I've always wanted to ride a bike.' A Pocket for Corduroy introduced my daughter to the laundromat, a place she's never been.

As Corduroy searches for the missing button, he states, 'I think I've always wanted to climb a mountain' as he goes up the escalator.

This book is a sentimental favorite of mine I remember making a picture of Corduroy in Kindergarten, complete (or incomplete) with his missing button. Corduroy was copyrighted in 1968, and the illustrations reflect the year. All About Corduroy contains the two Corduroy books by Don Freeman, written 10 years apart.

Books corduroy