Stars: ****
This book was read for the Celebrate the Author Challenge.
Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy were two of my favourite picture books growing up. This book technically isn’t by Don Freeman himself but is based on his character of Corduroy.
It’s a cute story with life the flaps about Corduroy and his friends going to the zoo. There is a small sign by each animal that says some basic facts. E.g. “Lions live in groups called prides. Baby lions are called cubs.” Or “Seals swim underwater and eat fish.”
Even though the story isn’t by Don Freeman, the style is kept where a narrator is telling about Corduroy’s adventures, not Corduroy himself.
Gregory’s Shadow by Don Freeman
Stars: *** ½
This is a non-Corduroy story by the Corduroy author. It was read for the Celebrate the Author Challenge.
This is a cute Groundhog story that isn’t just about what happens on Groundhog Day although we do see that too. The story starts out the day before Groundhog Day when Gregory goes out for a walk and is scared by the shadow of a scarecrow. He runs back to his home so fast he lives his shadow outside. In this story the shadow is like a personal friend, with thoughts and feelings all it’s own.
I read this to my 2 ½ year old and the first time I had to explain a lot because she knows what a shadow is but knows it doesn’t talk or walk around by itself either. After I explained that this book was pretending and it couldn’t really happen that way, she settled down and enjoyed the story and has since asked to be read it again.
It’s a cute book.
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