On the 50th anniversary of Don
Freeman’s children’s book, Viola
Davis pens a new Corduroy story, illus-
trated by Jody Wheeler, that throws
the beloved bear into the fascinating
chaos of live theater. Imaginative
and witty throughout, it’s a delectably
sweet entry in the venerable series.PEPPERMINT POWER RANKING- DRAG RACES9 RUNNER-UP
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CORDUROY
TAKES A BOW
by Viola DavisVIOLA DAVIS
The award-winning
actress, 53, bears
her soul to EW’s David
Canfield about why
she brought back the
unforgettable ursineWhy write a
Corduroy book?It was an ofer I
couldn’t refuse.
When my daughter
was a baby, that was
the book she loved
the most. You read so
many diferent books
to your child, and
there are certain
ones that just stick.
Perhaps it was
[Corduroy’s owner]
Lisa and the fact that
she was an African-
American.... She
simply was a part of
the story. That was
a big thing for me
when I was growing
up, and it’s a bigger
thing with my daugh-
ter. No matter what
story [I] tell her, she
always wants to be
a part of it. She
says, “Make me the
hero, Mommy.”Children’s books
leave such an impact,
as you say with your
daughter. How did
that inform the way
you wrote this?With Corduroy, I love
the fact that he’s curi-
ous. And he’s not
punished for being
curious. But also,
the backdrop of the
theater. It’s a place
where you can
explore your imagi-
nation as a space ofDAVIS: JIM SPELLMAN/WIREIMAGECold &
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