Grin and Bear It

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.