Just when it seems like Corduroy's department store adventure has failed, Lisa arrives the next morning to take him home. She stitches a button on his overalls, not because she thinks he's incomplete without it, just because she wants him to be comfortable.
Corduroy tells Lisa he's always wanted a friend, and not-so-coincidentally, so has she. Big hugs all around as the credits roll.
It's a classic "and they lived happily ever after" moment, but there's a little more to it than that. Corduroy spends almost the entire book wanting to be loved, thinking that if he could only find that missing button, he would be worthy of the home he longs for.
Then Lisa shows up and loves him just the way he is, showing that 1) sometimes it's okay when our first plans don't work out and 2) you don't need to change yourself to be loved. Pretty deep for a children's book—those are good reminders whether you're four or ninety-four.