David Mckee 라는 작가는 영국 아저씨인데, ＜ELMER＞ 시리즈의 동화책으로 유명하신 듯.

(오디오 파일도 영국식 엑센트이다)

이 동화책은 귀엽기도 하지만, 어른이 보기에도 상당히 심오한 메세지를 담고 있다.

짙은 회색인 다른 코끼리들과 확연히 구별되는 알록달록한 엘머는 그것이 너무 싫었다.

이리 저리 노력하고 변장도 해보지만, 결국 들통이 나버린다.

그런 엘머를 사랑하는 친구 코끼리들과의 훈훈한 이야기.

내용이 꽤 길다.

There was once a herd of elehants. Elephants
young, elephants old, elephants tall or fat or thin.
Elephants like this, that or the other, all different but all
happy and all the same colour. All, that is, except Elmer.

Elmer was different. Elmer was patchwork.
Elmer was yellow and orange and red and pink and purple
and blue and green and black and white.

Elmer was not elephant colour.

It was Elmer who kept the elephants happy.
Sometimes he joked with the other elephants, sometimes they joked
with him. But if there was even a little smile, it was usually Elmer who started it.

One night Elmer couldn't sleep for thinking, and
the think that he was thinking ws that he was tired of being different.
"Whoever heard of a patchwork elephant?" he thought.
"No wonder they laugh at me."

In the morning befor the others were really awake,
Elmer slipped  quietly away, unnoticed.

As he walked through the jungle, Elmer met other animals.
They always said: "Good morning, Elmer."
Each time, Elmer smiled and said: "Good morning."

.

.

앨머의 변장과 들통남 그리고 다른 이야기가 이어진다.

아주 창의적이고 재미있다.