For many years, part of our family ritual was to go to our little local library every Thursday night. Love of reading and love of stuffed animals walked hand in hand in our home.

The two books I remember enjoying reading to our children the most of all were Corduroy and The Velveteen Rabbit.

I think we checked the original Corduroy book out of the library almost every week for months! It was read, two children snuggled in my lap, with every page tenderly fingered, every day. I attribute much of my own love of teddy bears, and the strong affection our grown daughters still have for reading and for stuffed animals to that one book.

I even used The Velveteen Rabbit as a writing prompt with 5th graders, and was rewarded with many poignant stories from children about their favorite toys.