Book Review: Elmer – A Classic Collection by David McKee

Title: Elmer A Classic Collection: Elmer’s best-loved tales
Author: David McKee
Illustrator: David McKee
Publisher: Andersen Press
Genre: Children’s picture book
Book format: Hardcover
Sweet Strawberries:

Description: Bringing together five best-loved Elmer adventures, Elmer: A Classic Collection is a colourful patchwork of stories to discover and share together.
-Elmer
-Elmer and the Rainbow
-Elmer and the Lost Teddy
-Elmer in the Snow
-Elmer’s Special Day
*Free copy provided by publisher for review…

Review:  Awww! I’m in love with cute Elmer after reading this collection! I’d never read an Elmer book before now, although they have always been around since my childhood, and I was clearly missing out as the adventures in these pictures books of this patchwork elephant are just a joy to read! ‘Elmer A Classic Collection: Elmers best-loved tales’ is a hardback book, a little heavy to hold but the cover has some beautiful reflective shiny pattern on the front and is filled with five of Elmer’s tales on glossy and very colourful pages.

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The five stories in this classsic collection are: Elmer, Elmer and the Rainbow, Elmer and the Lost Teddy, Elmer in the Snow and Elmer’s Special Day. Every one of these stories is so fun to read and has a lovely message and I love the way that Elmer’s Special Day continues the theme started in the first book. For those that haven’t read Elmer books yet, Elmer is an elephant who’s different from the others, not only is he a patchwork elephant of so many colours but he also loves to have fun, laugh and joke, bringing joy to all the other animals. The first story in the collection sums up what Elmer is like and the rest of the stories all have their own lovely messages for kids including understanding how special everyone is and the power of love and friendship. Every message in each of the stories is clear, but done in a way that just makes your heart warm and makes you want to smile. I can understand now why so many people have loved Elmer books over the years.

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The illustrations really make the book so special. Elmer and the other animals are so fun and every page is really bursting with so many colours, to match Elmer’s body! There’s a lot to see on every page, the text is large and easy to read but there are so many things to look at and see on every page, especially when you see things like all the different animals or all the patterns the elephants paint on themselves, you can really spend a long time just looking at the pages of this book and having fun spotting all the differen things.

I don’t think anyone can resist this book once they have a look at it, and it’s a good collection for both those that know and love Elmer, and especailly for people like me who haven’t tried reading many or any Elmer books yet. The stories in this collection are all very special (and I’ve explained them briefly below) and will make you want to read this again and again, and I’m sure many adults wouldn’t mind looking through this book too!

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Elmer – A very fun story that’s the perfect introduction to the patchwork elephant. In this story you learn about Elmer and how much fun he loves to have with the other elephants.

Elmer and the Rainbow – So heartwarming this story has the perfect ending. Elmer and his friends all discover the rainbow that’s appeared is without colour so Elmer decides to give his own colours to the rainbow.

Elmer and the Lost Teddy – Elmer goes on a search for a teddy that Baby Elephant has lost, and which he can’t sleep without. This is another lovely tale about being special and I love what Elmer’s own teddy looks like, plus the less colourful but still patchwork Wilbur!

Elmer in the Snow – Elmer and his elephant friends have fun in the snow. This is both a fun story with a little more of a subtle message plus I just love the humour and the illustrations of the snow and the snowelephant!

Elmer’s Special Day – This story will remind you of the original as all the elephants get ready for Elmer’s Day, but not all the other animals are happy with the noise they are making. A final and very fun story to complete the collection with a brilliant message. The last few pages are just so fun to both read and look at.

©The Strawberry Post

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Have you read any Elmer books before?  What do you think of this book?  Let me know what you think in the comments below 🙂