Elmer

by David McKee

Book Overview

McKee's gentle humor and love of irony are in full force in this celebration of individuality and laughter. --Publishers Weekly

Elmer the elephant is bright-colored patchwork all over. No wonder the other elephants laugh at him

If he were ordinary elephant color, the others might stop laughing. That would make Elmer feel better, wouldn't it? David McKee's comical fable about everyone's...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688091717
• ISBN13: 9780688091712
• Release Date: September 1989
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.9" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Elmer the Misfit

I love this story because it exemplifies the importance of individuality! This is a wonderful lesson for children to see how everyone is unique. The illustrator did a great job of producing pictures that enhance the text.

Elmer, my favorite elephant.

My five year old daughter and I have our favorite time of the day every evening when I am taking her to bed. Then we read, read, read and read. Both picture books and chapter books.It is important to keep on reading picture books to the kids also when they outgrow the age of a toddler. There are so many great pictures and art in picture books that can help the children widening their horizont.With four kids in the house we have a huge collection of children's books, and among them some absolute favorites. And Elmer belongs to this group.Elmer the elephant is different from the other elephants in the jungle. While the others are ordinary grey he has patchwork colors, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue, green, black, white - what a wonderful way to repeat colors over and over for a little human being.But Elmer doesn't like to be different. He wants to be grey like the rest of the herd. Elmer finds a way to paint himself black, but to his, and to the young reader's surprise nobody recognizes him now when he is just as anybody else. Elmer is used to being seen, and has to do a trick to the others to be seen again. And the ending is in great honor to Elmer, the different one. And he has taught us a wonderful story about the importance of being the one you are meant to be, not to pretend being someone else.The story has given us great opportunities to talk about the importance of being the one we are. We are created unique and our strength is in keeping this uniqueness.The story has wonderful, simple paintings, bright colored. My five year old and I have alot of fun making an applique quilt of Elmer and his life. This book is a jewel either you have chidren or not.

Go Elmer!

This Character and book demonstrate the most important message and that is to accept all that you are, especially if you don ot neatly fit into a "typical" category! I love Elmer and can't wait to give it to my nephews and nieces.

Great book to share

I read this book for a childrens literature class at the college I attend. I WILL share this book with my students when I begin teaching because it teaches them the valuable lesson that Elmer learned. He was unhappy with who he was so he decided to change. All was fine until he realized who he was pretending to be wasn't himself. All children need the message: be yourself and be happy with yourself.

Humorous, valuable lesson for children

Elmer is a great book for children to learn to be themselves and to have fun doing it. It also teaches that, sometimes conformity isn't always the best way and that others can also see things from their perspective. Elmer is a great book for first time readers and for older readers to rediscover