Corduroy
by Don Freeman
Corduroy has been on the department store shelf for a long time. As soon as Lisa sees him she knows that he’s the bear for her. Her mother thinks he’s a little worn—he’s even missing a button! Still Corduroy knows that with a bit of work he can tidy himself up and be just the bear for Lisa. Where better to start than with a nighttime adventure through the department store searching for a new button!
Reading Tips for Story Explorers
Find a comfortable space to read together
Slow down and enjoy the illustrations
Ask and answer questions together
Make reading part of your routine - bedtime is a great time for reading
Use these prompts to encourage deeper thinking with your children:
"Tell me more, why do you think that?"
"How do you know that?"
"Interesting, did you notice anything else?"
Phonemic Awareness
When introducing the book, share the title and notice these phonemic elements:
The first letter of the word “Corduroy” is Cc. This letter says the sound /c/, /c/, /c/, like in candy, cake, and camel. Let’s say that sound together: /c/, /c/, /c/. Point to the Cc in the title. Read the title together, emphasizing the sound /c/.
Ask the children to say the word after you. Show them the cover of the book and have them read the word out loud with you as you point under each word.
Vocabulary
Locked: To keep closed
Accident: Reasons or causes that are not planned by anyone
Palace: The official home of a king or queen
Toppled: To sway and fall down; tumble
Blinked: To close and open one's eyes quickly
Enourmous: Huge
Fastened: To join or attach firmly to something else or in place
Questions to Discuss
Where does this book take place? Look at the picture on the first page. Who else does Corduroy live with?
Why do you think the little girl wants Corduroy? Why doesn’t her mother buy him at the beginning of the story?
Where does Corduroy go during the night? What does he think the escalator and the furniture store are?
How does Corduroy feel when he ventures off the shelf? How does he feel before the night watchman finds him?
What happens the next morning? How does the little girl feel? How does Corduroy feel?
If you were to save money to buy something, what would you buy?
How does Corduroy feel at the end of the story?
Let's Play
Reenact the story with a family member. Find a stuffed animal in your house and put it on a shelf and pretend it is Corduroy. Choose a character to portray (mother or little girl). Pretend you are shopping and choose to buy the stuffed animal. What happens next?
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