Herald Neighbors

Freeport host birthday party for Corduroy

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For Corduroy 50th Birthday, librarian, Georgina Rivas-Martinez read to a group of children, Blaise Christensen, 7, left, Shannon Dixon, 4 and Shaelynne Dixon, 6, right.
For Corduroy 50th Birthday, librarian, Georgina Rivas-Martinez read to a group of children, Blaise Christensen, 7, left, Shannon Dixon, 4 and Shaelynne Dixon, 6, right.
Jay Bass/Herald

It’s the infamous story of a bear looking for his button and practically 50 years later, children of all ages are still reading, “Corduroy.” In celebration of the friendly bear, the Freeport Memorial Library held a birthday party on March 6.

Librarian Georgina Rivas-Martinez read the story of the little plush caramel bear with green overalls sitting in the toy department of a big store, waiting for somebody to take him home. In the book, Corduroy’s adventure begins after meeting Lisa, a little girl whose mother refused to buy him because was a button was missing from his overalls.

The children delighted as Rivas-Martinez turned the pages and showed them the book’s illustrations. After the story, the children talked about the adventures they would have with their own bear, while they made a teddy bear to take home.

“Corduroy” was written and illustrated by Don Freeman and published in 1968. The book became increasingly popular in the last 30 years and a favorite for younger school-aged children, according to the official Corduroy book website. Though Freeman died ten years after its publication, there are three, Jodi Wheeler, B.G. Hennessy and Lisa McCue, international acclaimed illustrators and writers continue writing Corduroy’s adventures.