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£5.99
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£6.99
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David
David McKee
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www.andersenpress.co.uk www.andersenpress.co.uk
www.andersenpress.co.uk
 Is there a difference
between a bounce
and a jump? Kangaroo
and
Stranger
thinks there is, until
Elmer helps him
discover that the one
the
will do just as well
as the other.
Children will love this
colourful adventure
with their favourite
patchwork elephant
which introduces a
delightfully bouncy
new friend.
 book b
E R e l
This ELM

on
gs to:
....................
 For Fabio B and Amy Z

and the Stranger

First published in Great Britain in 2000 by Andersen Press Ltd., 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA.
This paperback edition first published in 2009 by Andersen Press Ltd.
Published in Australia by Random House Australia Pty., Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney, NSW 2060.
Copyright © David McKee, 2000.
The rights of David McKee to be identified as the author and illustrator
of this work have been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. Colour separated in Switzerland by Photolitho AG, Zürich.
Printed and bound in Singapore by Tien Wah Press.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data available.

ISBN 978 1 84270 785 2 (paperback edition)

ISBN 978 1 84270 782 1 (paperback and CD edition)
David McKee
This book has been printed on acid-free paper Andersen Press
Elmer, the patchwork elephant, had just started
his morning walk when Tiger arrived.
“Elmer,” he said, “there’s a stranger around and he’s
acting very strangely. He jumps and falls over.”
“Strangers often act strangely; that’s why
they’re strangers,” said Elmer.
“Well I don’t think he’s happy,” said Tiger.
 Just then Lion appeared. “Hello, Elmer.
Hello, Tiger,” he said.
“Elmer, there’s a strange chap around. He sort of . . .
sort of . . .”
“Jumps,” said Tiger. “Elmer knows.”
“And then he kind of . . . well he . . .”
“Falls over,” finished Tiger. “Elmer knows.”
“Yes, well also he seems . . . aah . . .”
“Unhappy,” said Tiger. “Elmer knows.”
“Let’s just go and see,” said Elmer kindly.
 Soon they came to a clearing.
“This is where he usually jumps,” said Tiger.
“And falls over,” added Lion. “And here he comes.”
With huge bounces, into the clearing came a kangaroo.
Then he stopped, hesitated, and fell over. He picked
himself up and sobbed, “I’m a failure.”
“Not a happy chappy,” said Lion.
“Let’s talk to him,” said Elmer.
“Hello,” said Elmer. “What’s the matter?”
“Hello,” Kangaroo sniffed. “I can’t jump.
When I try to, I fall over. We’re going to have
a jumping competition and I came here to
practise, secretly. But it’s no use. I can’t jump.
I’ll be laughed at.”
 I’m a good bouncer,” said Kangaroo and, to prove it,
bounced higher than Giraffe who happened to be passing.
“Very impressive,” said Tiger.
“But when I think about the jump I fall over,” sighed
Kangaroo. “This needs some thought,” said Elmer.
“We’ll be back tomorrow.”

“But you were jumping

beautifully,” said Tiger.
“Oh no, I was just
bouncing along getting
ready to jump . . .
 On the way home,
Lion said, “Elmer, I know I’m a bit slow,
but isn’t a bounce a kind of jump?”
“Yes, Lion,” said Elmer. “But Kangaroo thinks that a
jump is something more difficult, more important. Like
sometimes if you think about going to sleep, you can’t.
When you don’t think about it, you soon drop off.”
“Lion doesn’t have that problem,” said Tiger.
Elmer laughed and left them.
The next morning, after talking to Lion and Tiger, Elmer
went to meet Kangaroo.
“Come on, Kangaroo,” he said. “Lion and Tiger will be by
the river.”
Elmer set off at a steady pace while Kangaroo bounced
behind him, in front of him, around him and even over him.
At the river, they saw Lion and Tiger on the Kangaroo laughed, and with an
other side, where Elmer had told them to wait. enormous bounce landed beside
“Drat!” said Elmer. “We’ll get our feet wet.” Lion and Tiger.
“Fantastic jump,” said Tiger.
“You mean ‘bounce’,” said Kangaroo. “I can’t
jump.” Lion chuckled. “A bounce IS a jump.”
“Lion’s right,” said Elmer. “Forget jumping, just
bounce. Now, let’s go to that competition!”
Kangaroo led the way, delighted that his new friends
were going with him. They arrived just as the
competition began.
After a while, Elmer said, “Come on, Kangaroo,
it’s time you had a go.”
There was a roar of applause as a white
kangaroo made an enormous jump.
“That will be hard to beat,” said Kangaroo.
Elmer whispered to Lion and Tiger. They grinned and
went to stand just past the spot where the white kangaroo
had landed. As Kangaroo was getting ready, Elmer said,
“Drat! We’ll get our feet wet.”
Kangaroo gave a laugh, and with an enormous bounce
once again landed beside Lion and Tiger.
That jump won the competition.
Later, Kangaroo thanked Elmer, Lion and Tiger for
their help.
“You made me remember the river,” he said. “I didn’t
think about jumping.”
When they were back home, Lion said, “Strange
thing, I felt that we were the . . . aah . . .”
“Strangers,” finished Tiger.
“Yes,” laughed Elmer. “And now we’re all . . .
aah . . .”
“Friends!” they laughed together.
 Read more ELMER stories

Also available as a book and CD Also available as a book and CD

Also available as a book and CD

Find out more about David McKee and Elmer, visit :

www.andersenpress.co.uk/elmer