Elmer - David McKee

Aww. We’ve gone back to Elmer. I thought we’d left him behind. In fact I nearly gave him away just the other day. I had to think quickly. HAD I given poor Elmer away? Luckily I remembered that I hadn’t. I’d put him on the top shelf just in case. Phew. Can you imagine? “What shall we read tonight?” “Let’s read Elmer Mummy, we haven’t read Elmer since a long time, have we? I think I was only four.” “Sorry, Elmer is no more, Mummy gave him to Marnie, or was it Oxfam?” Phew again. What a relief – those book hoarding instincts aren’t such a ...  Read the complete review

Elmer is a lovely children's story with the underlying message that it's ok for everyone to be different! The story focuses on Elmer the elephant. He isn't like the other elephants in his herd. They are all grey - whereas he is patchwork and lots and lots of different colours! Although Elmer keeps all the other elephants happy with his fun nature, by making them laugh and playing tricks - deep down he starts to feel saddened by the fact that he looks so very different. He wonders if the other elephants aren't laughing with him, but are actually laughing at him! The next day Elmer leaves his herd and heads off into the jungle. He comes across a bush ...  Read the complete review

Elmer seems to be a new friend in our house. Elmer is fun. Elmer has sparked so many funny conversations. Elmer is gre(y)t. Elmer is an elephant. He lives with his herd; elephants of all shapes and sizes but with one thing in common - they are all grey. All except Elmer, that is. Elmer is a patchwork elephant and he's all the colours of the rainbow. Elmer is the elephant that keeps the herd happy with his bright looks and even brighter nature. He plays tricks on the other elephants and loves to make them laugh. But, just as in real life, Elmer starts to feel a little uneasy. He can't sleep and can't shake the feeling that the other elephants are ...  Read the complete review

David McKee has been an author and illustrator for many years but his most famous creation has been 'Elmer, the Patchwork Elephant' and the accompanying series of books. This is a bright and cheerful book with a lovely moral to the story......'it's ok to be different and it's good to make others happy and laugh'. ~The story~ Elmer was an elephant with a difference, he was a multi-coloured elephant, not elephant-colour! Elmer kept all of the herd happy with his jokes and fooling around, but one night he couldn't sleep because he was tired of being so different and wanted to be like the others. The next day he left ...  Read the complete review

An enduring favourite, a classic! Elmer was first published in 1989 and has sold over 2 million copies worldwide I remember coming across this book about 16 years ago, and reading it to a class of Key Stage 1 children (Infants in those days). What struck me at the time was how different to many of the picture books available then; it was bright and cheerful and emphasized an important message. I still read it now to children in Key Stage 1 and 2 and have read it to my own three children. Somehow, it has never appeared old fashioned or dated, which can so often happen with either a storyline or the illustrations. **THE STORY** The ...  Read the complete review