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3rd out of 49 books
—
33 voters
Elmer (Elmer)
by
David McKee
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? The surprising conclusion of David McKee's comical fable is a celebration of individuality and the power of laughter.
Elmer the elephant, a colorful character...more
Elmer the elephant, a colorful character...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
September 18th 1989
by HarperCollins
(first published January 1st 1989)
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Feb 10, 2013
Manny
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children,
german-and-dutch
Stuck in a toy-shop in German-speaking Bern on Saturday, I picked up a copy of Elmar and tried to read it. My German is very uncertain, so I don't guarantee that I understood everything. Here's a tentative plot summary:
Elmer Goes Mainstream
Elephants are notoriously unimaginative, and quietly proud of their drab, gray conformity. But every now and then, you get an exception. Elmer was just such an elephant. A natural rebel and iconoclast, this was reflected even in his pigmentation, which was a b...more
Elmer Goes Mainstream
Elephants are notoriously unimaginative, and quietly proud of their drab, gray conformity. But every now and then, you get an exception. Elmer was just such an elephant. A natural rebel and iconoclast, this was reflected even in his pigmentation, which was a b...more
Elmer is a wonderful children's story with the underlying message that it is alright for everyone to be different and that we all possess unique qualities. I shared this book with Nursery children who were deeply engrossed by Elmer and his great patch work.
The primal focus of the story is on ‘Elmer ‘who is an elephant that does not resemble the other elephants in his herd. They are all grey – whereas he is remarkably dissimilar with patchwork with lots of different colours! Although Elmer keeps...more
The primal focus of the story is on ‘Elmer ‘who is an elephant that does not resemble the other elephants in his herd. They are all grey – whereas he is remarkably dissimilar with patchwork with lots of different colours! Although Elmer keeps...more
2 likes · like · see review
The story is about an elephant that is different from other elephants because he is a patchwork of different colours. He has a great personality and is always making people laugh. The story goes n to tell how Elmer covers up his patchwork to make himself look the same as all the other elephants. Nobody recognises him, Elmer then shouts out loud and it begins to rain. The grey is washed off Elmer colourful patchwork is revealed. This book highlights the moral that no matter how hard you try to c...more
This book was given to my son as a gift and what a fabulous book it was. It touches on the want to be accepted because of similarities rather than being unique. Therefore with this in mind, the book cleverly highlights some important themes. Rings alarm bells for me and my son!
Elmer is a patchwork elephant living among grey elephants and provides fun and laughter. He is unique, but does not see it. He decides to cover his colourful patchwork with elephant berries because he thinks that the grey...more
Elmer is a patchwork elephant living among grey elephants and provides fun and laughter. He is unique, but does not see it. He decides to cover his colourful patchwork with elephant berries because he thinks that the grey...more
Elmer is a story about a colourful patchwork elephant, who realises he is very different to his peers. Elmer is normally a very happy go lucky elephant and usually cheers all the other elephants up. One day he decides that he no longer wants to stand out and longs to be normal elephant colour. So he disguises himself by rolling around in elephant coloured berries, when he returns to the herd he is unrecognisable. He ultimately realises that he likes being different and that his role is crucial t...more
May 07, 2013
Rebecca Oblein
added it
“Elmer” is a colourful children’s book about an elephant who looks different from the other elephants who are all grey. Elmer tries to put on a happy face in front of the grey elephants but starts to feel sad about his different appearance and so goes out to change his appearance so he looks like the other elephants. He then goes back to the heard where he blends in with the other elephants but soon notices that the other elephants are missing him. Elmer then gets rid of his disguise which makes...more
Elmer
Elmer is a fun loveable book written by David Mc Kee. The moral of the story is based on the idea of diversity and being unique and happy in yourself. Elmer remains to be a well known and loved book by both children and adults.
Elmer the elephant is a brightly coloured patchwork elephant who is different to all of the rest of his herd. All of the other elephants are grey in colour. Elmer is a lively character who feels the other animals laugh at him. One day Elmer decides that he wants to b...more
Elmer is a fun loveable book written by David Mc Kee. The moral of the story is based on the idea of diversity and being unique and happy in yourself. Elmer remains to be a well known and loved book by both children and adults.
Elmer the elephant is a brightly coloured patchwork elephant who is different to all of the rest of his herd. All of the other elephants are grey in colour. Elmer is a lively character who feels the other animals laugh at him. One day Elmer decides that he wants to b...more
This wonderful book by David McKee carries the underlying message, that it is ok to be different.
In this story we meet Elmer the elephant, who is unlike any of the other elephants in his herd. He is a colourful patchwork elephant but is tired of being different, and longs to look like the other elephants in the herd. Determined to make this happen he comes up with a plan to disguise his distinctive colourful patchwork.
Elmer rejoins the group and is delighted when none of the other elephants re...more
In this story we meet Elmer the elephant, who is unlike any of the other elephants in his herd. He is a colourful patchwork elephant but is tired of being different, and longs to look like the other elephants in the herd. Determined to make this happen he comes up with a plan to disguise his distinctive colourful patchwork.
Elmer rejoins the group and is delighted when none of the other elephants re...more
During my childhood, I remember always being drawn to this book by it's bright, colourful and captivating illustrations. This book is about a patchwork elephant, called Elmer, who is all different colours and one day he decides to paint himself grey to fit in with the rest of the herd. Eventually, when it begins to rain, the grey colour is washed away and his patchwork is revealed. All the other elephants are glad to see Elmer again. They tell him that he is perfect the way he is and they celebr...more
Elmer is a story about an elephant who is different to all the other elephants! He is a patchwork elephant and is all different colours. Not being the same colour as other elephants, Elmer decides to paint himself in order to be the same as the other elephants in the herd. Eventually, the rain washes away Elmer's paint and he is back to his colourful, patchwork self. The other elephants are delighted by this and happy to see Elmer. They tell Elmer that he is perfect just the way he is and celebr...more
This story is a about a unique elephant called Elmer, unlike other elephants Elmer has a colourful body with yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue, green, black and white arranged as a patchwork. By covering himself in grey coloured grapes Elmer changes his appearance to be like all the other elephants. The other elephants do not recognize Elmer and treat him differently, this upsets Elmer and he soon realizes that being different is ok. It begins to rain and the grey colour washes off of Elme...more
Elmer is an elephant who is different from all the other elephants; he is not 'elephant coloured, he is a patchwork of bright colours. One night he lies awake thinking about how it doesn't like being different to all the other elephants in the herd. He doesn't like his appearance. He creeps off while the other elephants are still asleep and finds a bush full of berries which are grey in colour. He rolls around in the berries until his patchwork colours are covered in grey and..he looks like all...more
Elmer is a story I had heard of but never had the chance to personally read until my SBT1 placement. I was placed in a Reception class and we were basing our weekly topics on the termly topic 'Magical Me'.
This particular story came into relevance to help the children to celebrate cultural, physical and religious differences amongst themselves and be more appreciative of being different.
The story of Elmer is based on a multi-coloured elephant who wants to be brown like all the other elephants. H...more
This particular story came into relevance to help the children to celebrate cultural, physical and religious differences amongst themselves and be more appreciative of being different.
The story of Elmer is based on a multi-coloured elephant who wants to be brown like all the other elephants. H...more
“Elmer was different. Elmer was patchwork. Elmer was yellow and orange and red and pink and….”
Elmer is a heart-warming, uplifting story of a young elephant that is different from all the other elephants in the herd. Unlike every other grey elephant in the herd, Elmer is a colourful, patchwork elephant. Like many young people, Elmer wishes he was the same as everyone else. One day he sets off to find a way to make himself a grey elephant. He succeeds with his wish but quickly realises that being...more
Elmer is a heart-warming, uplifting story of a young elephant that is different from all the other elephants in the herd. Unlike every other grey elephant in the herd, Elmer is a colourful, patchwork elephant. Like many young people, Elmer wishes he was the same as everyone else. One day he sets off to find a way to make himself a grey elephant. He succeeds with his wish but quickly realises that being...more
Elmer is the story of an elephant that is noticeably different to the others; he is a brightly coloured patchwork elephant. However Elmer did not want to be different to the other elephants as they laughed at him, so he tried to make himself ‘elephant colour’ like the others. After hatching a plan and rolling around in berry juice to make himself ‘elephant colour’ Elmer decides that being part of the crowd is too boring and realises that being different isn’t so bad after all. At the end of the...more
Oct 18, 2012
Lucy Valentine
added it
This book works very well within a Reception/KS1 class. The children enjoy the character, Elmer, whilst understanding the underlying moral of the story that it doesn't matter what you look like we are all unique.
Many activties can have this book as a starting point - art, geography (links to the jungle), literacy and drama - allowing the children to express their interpretations of the story's conclusion themselves.
The pictures in the book appeal to the younger children; the bright colours and...more
Many activties can have this book as a starting point - art, geography (links to the jungle), literacy and drama - allowing the children to express their interpretations of the story's conclusion themselves.
The pictures in the book appeal to the younger children; the bright colours and...more
Grade Level/Interest Level: Primary (1st-3rd grade)
Reading Level: Lexile Level,550L
Genre: Modern Fantasy/ Science Fiction
Main Characters:elmer and his elephant friends
Setting:the village Elmer lives in
POV:Elmer's
Elmer is a bright-colored patchwork all over his body elephant. All of the other elephants he knows are grey and constantly make fun and laugh at him. If he were ordinary elephant color, the others might stop laughing. So Elmer decides to paint himself grey, however this does not turn ou...more
Reading Level: Lexile Level,550L
Genre: Modern Fantasy/ Science Fiction
Main Characters:elmer and his elephant friends
Setting:the village Elmer lives in
POV:Elmer's
Elmer is a bright-colored patchwork all over his body elephant. All of the other elephants he knows are grey and constantly make fun and laugh at him. If he were ordinary elephant color, the others might stop laughing. So Elmer decides to paint himself grey, however this does not turn ou...more
Elmer the elephant is one of my earliest memorable books. It is about an elephant with a patchwork body, filled with colours of the rainbow. He is indeed an optimistic and jolly character. However, whenever Elmer went into the jungle he was stared and laughed at by all the other elephants as he did not fit in. He despised the fact that he was different and wanted to be like everyone else. So one day he shook a tree until the berries fell off and rubbed the berry juice all over himself until he w...more
Elmer is a fictitious picture book that follows the story of Elmer the elephant. Elmer just so happens to be a brightly coloured, patchwork elephant who generally seems a happy character but feels as if he doesn't quite 'fit-in' so-to-speak due to his difference in appearance. Elmer tried to change this by altering his appearance to look like every other elephant. Elmer then goes on to learn that he was happier being himself than trying to be like everyone else. Rain comes and washes away the be...more
This is a story about a patchwork colored elephant name Elmer. The supposedly moral of the story is to teach children about accepting differences, and not to worry if they ever find themselves being different, the odd one out of the rest of the crowd.
Review from Publishers Weekly, which can be found in Barnes & Noble website, follows:
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 mult...more
Review from Publishers Weekly, which can be found in Barnes & Noble website, follows:
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 mult...more
Elmer the Elephant by David McKee
Elmer the elephant is bout an elephant that is not elephant colored. He was patchwork with all the different colors of the rainbow. When Elmer used to go into the jungle the other elephants would stare and laugh at Elmer.
Elmer hated that he was different so one day he went to a tree that had berries that were elephant colored growing from it. He shook the tree till the berries fell off and rubbed himself all over with the berry juice until he became elephant co...more
Elmer the elephant is bout an elephant that is not elephant colored. He was patchwork with all the different colors of the rainbow. When Elmer used to go into the jungle the other elephants would stare and laugh at Elmer.
Elmer hated that he was different so one day he went to a tree that had berries that were elephant colored growing from it. He shook the tree till the berries fell off and rubbed himself all over with the berry juice until he became elephant co...more
Elmer is no ordinary elephant, he is brightly coloured with patchwork all over him. Other elephants laugh at him because he is different. He has a great personality and is unique, but wants to be the same as the other elephants. So he decides to cover his beautiful patchwork with berries and no one recognises him until it rains and the grey is washed away and he is revealed. Soon after he realises trying to be like others was a mistake.
I like this book because it teaches a good lesson which is e...more
I like this book because it teaches a good lesson which is e...more
The story of Elmer has always been a memorable one. From my own memories of the story from when I was little it has always held a strong yet familiar moral message.
Elmer is an elephant with a patchwork body of a variety of colours. He is a cheerful and optimistic character. However, when Elmer changes his appearance to fit in to his surroundings he is no longer recognisable by the other elephants. Of course this makes Elmer sad that he is no longer accepted and begins to understand how it feels...more
Elmer is an elephant with a patchwork body of a variety of colours. He is a cheerful and optimistic character. However, when Elmer changes his appearance to fit in to his surroundings he is no longer recognisable by the other elephants. Of course this makes Elmer sad that he is no longer accepted and begins to understand how it feels...more
"Elmer the elephant” by David Mckee is definitely one of my favourite childhood stories!! I remember reading this book and being drawn to the bright colours and the comical character of Elmer the elephant.
The story uses cheerful colours as Elmer is characterised as a friendly and funny multi-coloured patchwork elephant. Elmer recognises that he appears different from the other elephants, so he covers himself in grey coloured berries to blend in with the rest of the elephants. Elmer is no longer...more
The story uses cheerful colours as Elmer is characterised as a friendly and funny multi-coloured patchwork elephant. Elmer recognises that he appears different from the other elephants, so he covers himself in grey coloured berries to blend in with the rest of the elephants. Elmer is no longer...more
This was one of my favourite books to read when I was a child. The story is about Elmer, a multicoloured patchwork elephant who didn’t look like the other elephants. He is a happy, funny elephant who is loved by all the elephants and other animals in the jungle. However, Elmer thinks that all the animals are laughing at him, and not with him, because he looks different. One day he decides that he no longer wants to be a colourful elephant that stands out so he covers himself in elephant coloured...more
Elmer is a wonderful story that teaches children that everyone is different and to celebrate being unique. Elmer the elephant is not like all the other grey elephants... he is brightly coloured patchwork!
He is a very happy elephant who is liked by all. However, one day he decides that he wants to be just like all the other elephants. He uses berries to cover his entire body so that he is grey just like everyone else. He happily begins his journey home. As he walks past his elephant friends and...more
He is a very happy elephant who is liked by all. However, one day he decides that he wants to be just like all the other elephants. He uses berries to cover his entire body so that he is grey just like everyone else. He happily begins his journey home. As he walks past his elephant friends and...more
Elmer by David Mckee is a story about an elephant who was covered in a patchwork of different colours. He always made the other elephants laugh and smile; they laughed with him and he always seemed the root of the fun. One night he could not sleep because he was thinking, he did not want to be a patchwork of colours, he wanted to be the same as everyone else. In the morning he takes a walk and finds a tree with ‘elephant coloured’ berries. He decides to cover himself with the juice of these grey...more
Elmer written by David Mckee is a great story about an elephant. Elmer is not just any elephant but is a unique elephant as he is made up of all different colors. However Elmer is not happy about this as all he wants is to be the same as all the other elephants and doesn’t want to be different. He goes on a journey and rubs berries all over himself so when he returns he is just like all the other elephants. But he soon tires of this and shouts out ‘BOO’ all the elephants start laughing and know...more
This is a book that will stand the test of time, evryone will enjoy the excellent colourful pictures, children can learn many colours as they read along as elmer the elephant has a colourful body arranged in patchwork. He has a cheerful colouful personality and loves to joke. This story explores themes and issues of diversity, Elmer reaslises when he tries to change his appearance in order to fit in with the other elephants, they no longer recognise him or accept him as one of thier own. which m...more
Elmer by David McKee is an extremely amusing, colourful book with a lovely moral to it. It tells the story of a multi-coloured elephant who begins to feel self-conscious of not being the same as his entire herd. He wants to look the same as them. However, when he does this he finds out that the other elephants are unhappy without the ‘old Elmer’ so he becomes himself again and they are all much happier, including Elmer.
This is a great book for teaching young children about the differences betwee...more
This is a great book for teaching young children about the differences betwee...more
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Feb 12, 2013 05:48am
updated Feb 12, 2013 05:49am