It's coming up to Elmer's Day, the day when all grey elephants paint themselves in bright colours. For Elmer, the patchwork elephant with the mischievous sense of fun, life seems far too quiet. So he thinks up a marvellous joke he can play on the other elephants in the night, when they're asleep...

　　David McKee's first book was published in 1964. His books are now published in many languages throughout the world, and many of them have been adapted for television. He is one of the leading contemporary children's book creators.