Don Freeman

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About Don Freeman

Don Freeman was born in San Diego, California, in 1908. At an early age, he received a trumpet as a gift from his father. He practiced obsessively and eventually joined a California danceband. 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 managed to support himself throughout his schooling by playing his trumpet evenings, in nightclubs and at weddings.
Gradually, he eased into making a living sketching impressions of Broadway shows for The New York Times and The Herald Tribune. This shift was helped along, in no small part, by a rather heartbreaking incident; he lost his trumpet. One evening, he was so engrossed in sketching people on the subway, he simply forgot it was sitting on the seat beside him. This new career turned out to be a near-perfect fit for Don, though, as he had always loved the theater.

He was introduced to the world of Childrens' Literature, when William Saroyan asked him to illustrate several books. Soon after, he began to write and illustrate his own books, a career he settled into comfortably and happily. 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. Ideas just come at me and after me. It's all so natural. I work all the time, long into the night, and it's such a pleasure. I don't know when the time ends. I've never been happier in my life!"

Don died in 1978, after a long and successful career. He created many beloved characters in his lifetime, perhaps the most beloved among them a stuffed, overall-wearing bear, named Corduroy.

Don 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.

Margaret Wise Brown

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Books By Don Freeman

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Corduroy Mar 13, 2008

by Don Freeman

( 7,836 )

$7.99

Corduroy was first introduced to readers in 1968, and in the fifty years since, his adventures have never stopped.

Corduroy has been on the department store shelf for a long time. Yet as soon as Lisa sees him, she knows that he’s the bear for her. Her mother, though, thinks he’s a little shopworn—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. And where better to start than with a nighttime adventure through the department store, searching for a new button!

Celebrate 50 years of this irresistible childhood classic, a heartwarming story about a little bear and a little girl finding the friend they have always wanted in each other.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD , Board book

A Pocket for Corduroy Mar 27, 1980

by Don Freeman

( 723 )

$7.99

2018 marks the 50th anniversary of Corduroy, Don Freeman's story of a beloved teddy bear and his friend Lisa, which has sold millions of copies and delighted children all over the world. In this sequel to Corduroy, Lisa takes her toy bear to a Laundromat, where he goes on a soapy adventure!

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Audio CD , Board book

Corduroy Lost and Found Sep 14, 2006

by B.G. Hennessy , Jody Wheeler

( 241 )

$9.99

A new adventure for a classic teddy bear!
Corduroy the beloved bear slips out very early one morning to get a birthday present for Lisa. He spies what he thinks is a yellow balloon up in the sky, thinking that would be perfect for her. But when the sun rises, the balloon (really the full moon) disappears. And now Corduroy is lost. Lisa finds him, but not before Corduroy succeeds in getting just the right gift—a lollipop as yellow and round as the moon. Written in the whimsical style of Don Freeman and illustrated in the exact scratchboard technique he used to create Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy.

2018 is Corduroy’s 50th anniversary, making this the perfect time for a new Corduroy adventure!

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Board book

Grin and Bear It: The Wit & Wisdom of Corduroy Mar 27, 2018

by Don Freeman

( 16 )

$7.99

Adventurous, imaginative, and always optimistic, Corduroy offers up wit and wisdom that will bring a little bit of sunshine to readers of all ages.

Never forget who you are--and never forget who loves you.
There's always a good reason to party!
You're never too grown-up for a teddy bear.

There's lots more advice where that came from in Grin and Bear It, this adorable collection of wit and wisdom from America's favorite teddy bear, Corduroy. The book uses Don Freeman's signature scratchboard art from the four classic Corduroy books to illustrate comforting and universal life lessons like: "You're never too small to get where you need to go," and "Love what you see in the mirror." Charming and inspirational, this is the perfect gift for graduation, or any other occasion when you need a little confidence boost.

Other Formats: Hardcover

Merry Christmas, Corduroy! Oct 20, 2020

by Jody Wheeler

( 15 )

$7.99

Celebrate Christmas with Corduroy in this festive board book!

Corduroy is excited to celebrate Christmas! To get ready, he decorates his tree, bakes cookies, and wraps presents. When the snow starts falling on Christmas Eve, Corduroy hangs up his stocking and leaves a note for Santa. Merry Christmas, Corduroy!

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Board book

It Shouldn't Happen (to a Dog) Sep 15, 2014

by Don Freeman , Todd DePastino

( 3 )

$8.54

Army life didn't agree with GI Albert C. Bedlington, Jr. He felt like he was always crawling on all fours, and one day when the very thing he'd feared for months finally happened — he had become a dog! The fellas all recognized him, so he carried on as usual, going on a furlough, visiting the USO, getting in and out of trouble, and serving with the K-9 corps.
Recounted chiefly in winsome illustrations, this fantasy was written and drawn by Don Freeman, author of Corduroy and other children's books. His witty and unusual take on World War II–era life among the enlisted men and on the home front was hailed by the Philadelphia Inquirer as a "fantastic and captivating story" and by the Chicago Tribune as "wonderful fun."

Other Formats: Hardcover , Paperback

The Unsurpassable Dr. Seuss Jun 28, 2016

by Don Freeman , The World and I Online

$0.99

The renowned Dr. Seuss tales reveal Theodor Geisel as a master of the subtle moral.

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