Elmer

About “Elmer”

Elmer the Patchwork Elephant is a children's picture book by David McKee that tells the story of Elmer, a cheerful and optimistic elephant whose body is made of colorful patchwork squares. Tired of being different, Elmer paints himself grey to blend in with the other elephants, but his silence and unfamiliar appearance confuse the herd until he surprises them with a loud "Boo!"—revealing his true identity. When the rain washes off his grey paint, Elmer's vibrant colors return, and the elephants celebrate his uniqueness, reaffirming their love for him as he is.