Elmer by David McKee
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(Hardcover - Special Edition)
- Age Range: 4 to 7
- Pub. Date: May 2004
- 32pp
- Sales Rank: 5,095
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Product Details
- Pub. Date: May 2004
- Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
- Format: Hardcover, 32pp
- Sales Rank: 5,095
- Age Range: 4 to 7
- ISBN-13: 9780060755539
- ISBN: 0060755539
- Edition Description: Special Edition
Synopsis
Elmer the elephant, a colorful character because of his patchwork hide and sense of humor, tries to blend in with the herd, but soon realizes that he's happiest just being himself. "McKee's gentle humor and love of irony are in full force in this celebration of individuality and laughter."—Publisher's Weekly.
Author Biography:
David McKee grew up in Devon, England. Later, while a student at Plymouth Art College, he began selling his cartoon drawings to newspapers. Since 1964 he has published a number of successful books for children, including the King Rollo stories, which he helped animate for British television. His first book for Lothrop was Snow Woman, of which Publishers Weekly said, "It is McKee's superb humor—conveyed almost solely in the illustrations...that wins the day." Of his second Lothrop book, Who's a Clever Baby, Publishers Weekly had this to say: "Grandma's alliterative frenzies are fascinating and readers will find Baby's manipulative stubbornness vastly amusing."
Mr. McKee enjoys traveling and doing books that "leave things unsaid."
Annotation
All the elephants of the jungle were gray except Elmer, who was a patchwork of brilliant colors until the day he got tired of being different and making the other elephants laugh.
Publishers Weekly
Elmer the elephant is a colorful character. His heady optimism and unbridled sense of humor keep the entire community in a cheery mood. And Elmer's unusual multicolored checkerboard hide is the wonder of all the other elephants, who are characteristically gray. In spite of his sunny disposition, Elmer begins to feel conspicuous. He starts to believe the others are laughing at him because of his crazy patchwork coat. When Elmer discovers a bush in the jungle with elephant-colored berries, he shakes the bush and rolls in a berry mash until he is as gray as the others. Now no one seems to notice him; for a time he enjoys his anonymity, but after a while he begins to realize just how quiet and dull things are when he's not around. Finally the practical joker in Elmer emerges, and he soon has the whole gang laughing again. McKee's gentle humor and love of irony are in full force in this celebration of individuality and laughter. Well-designed spreads are washed with stunning color and the use of textured, painted and airbrushed surfaces contributes to the powerful visual impression. Ages 4-7. (Sept.)
More Reviews and RecommendationsBiography
David McKee grew up in Devon, England. Later, while a student at Plymouth Art College, he began selling his cartoon drawings to newspapers. Since 1964 he has published a number of successful books for children, including the King Rollo stories, which he helped animate for British television. His first book for Lothrop was Snow Woman, of which Publishers Weekly said, "It is McKee's superb humor—conveyed almost solely in the illustrations...that wins the day." Of his second Lothrop book, Who's a Clever Baby, Publishers Weekly had this to say: "Grandma's alliterative frenzies are fascinating and readers will find Baby's manipulative stubbornness vastly amusing."
Mr. McKee enjoys traveling and doing books that "leave things unsaid."
Customer Reviews
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Great story for kids.by Momof2IL
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February 09, 2009: My 3 year old son loved this book. It is a great learning tool that is fun for him. With the variey of colors and animals in this book, we can spend up to 20-30 minutes with just this book.
Elmer by David McKeeby BelleKR
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February 09, 2009:
I first bought "Elmer," by David McKee 2 years ago, when my granddaughter was two years old. I am in Barnes and Noble quite often, but had never seen the book before. The brightly colored patchwork squares caught my eye, and I ended up with stuffed Elmer as well.
It is a story of a jokester elephant who is concerned because he does not look like everyone else, so goes off by himself to do some thinking. While he was away in the forest, he rolled in some berries that turned his skin gray. Later, when Elmer returned to the herd, they did not know who he was, but he overheard them say that they missed him and the way he made them laugh every day.
When it began to rain on the evening of his return, Elmer's patchwork colors began to show through as the gray dye of the berries wore off. His friends were so happy to have him back, and he realized that he did not have to look like everyone else to make his place in the herd.
When I asked my granddaughter what she thought of the book, she said that she thought Elmer was beautiful.
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