Not Just Pink Elephants I'm Seeing (Elmer - David McKee)

Name: belfin

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Product:	Elmer - David McKee
Date:	08/08/06 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun book with an important message

Disadvantages: none

***The Author***

David McKee is well known amongst parents because of the Elmer series, but a few of you probably aren't aware that he also created Mr Benn and King Rollo. I may have lost some of the younger readers of this now, but if so, just mention them to your parents and I'm sure they will explain how big they were in the 70s.

There have been a number of books written about Elmer, the colourful patchwork elephant, but this one was the one that introduced children to this lovable character way back in 1989. His popularity has gone from strength to strength and the complete series of books have sold more than 2 million copies around the world.

***The Story***

Elmer is the story of an elephant who is very different from all the other elephants in the herd.

"Elmer was different. Elmer was patchwork. Elmer was yellow and orange and red and pink and purple and blue and green and black and white. Elmer was not elephant colour."

Although he keeps all the other elephants happy with his joking around he feels that they are only laughing at him because of his colours. He decides to try and make himself the same colour as them by rolling in some berries that are grey coloured and as he makes his way back to the herd he passes all his other jungle friends and is pleasantly surprised to find that none of them recognise him.

When he joins the other elephants he finds that they are all too serious for and can't stand the silence. Suddenly he shouts out "Booooo!" and all the other elephants fall over in surprise whilst Elmer stands laughing in the middle. They instantly recognise him and start laughing too.

As the rain starts to fall and the berry juice is washed away, the other elephants agree that this was the best joke Elmer has ever played on them and decide to have a special day in the future when they will all paint themselves different colours and Elmer can be elephant colour again. The story ends with a picture of all the elephants painted in bright colours and Elmer covered in berry juice again, looking like a 'normal' elephant.

***The Illustrations***

The pictures throughout the book have a simplistic quality that children appear to love. That being said, there are a lot of background details, which are more complex than you first notice, and the attention to detail of plants and other animals are quite delightful.

***My Thoughts***

I can't really say anything bad about this book. The story is lovely and the pictures are funny and done in a way that really makes Elmer stand out from the rest.

What is really special and makes this book for me, is that children can see as they read the story that not only is it alright to be different from the rest of the crowd, but that it can even be fun too. I think this is a very important lesson for young children to learn with all the prejudice around these days, whether it is because they have a different coloured skin or wear glasses or different clothes from all the other children. In an ideal world this book would be read in all nursery classes the world over, although I suspect it is already one of the favourites in schools with children today, even if the hidden message doesn't get through straight away.

I love the way Elmer is shown that the other elephants aren't laughing at him but with him and this gives him the confidence to be different and proud of it. Confidence is very important for children growing up and I feel that they can associate with this, in this first Elmer book.

Apart from the more important message, of course, this book has a fun element to it and of course that is really what attracts children. The story and drawings are captivating throughout and hold attention well as there are no boring bits along the way.

***Other Elmer Books***

Elmer's Hide and Seek
Elmer and the Wind
Elmer and the Butterfly
Elmer and Wilbur
Elmer and Grandpa Eldo
Look! There's Elmer
Elmer in the Snow
Elmer and the Lost Teddy

***Price and Availability***

The price on the back of the paperback version is £4.99 but WH Smith have it on sale at £3.99.

ISBN No. 0099697203

Summary: Great book to introduce this fantastic character