If Elephants Wore Pants

by Henriette Barkow, Richard Johnson (Illustrator)

What elephant-sized fun, what a big and bright come along with a dreaming little boy as he’s whisked away to Elephant Land, where the elephants wear pants and the entertainment never ends. The charming rhyming text conveys a sense of pure delight and play, as the child and the animal go from skipping in the sun to visiting the circus to dancing with fireworks over their heads. And in every engaging picture, the elephant dons a different pair of pants, suitable to the occasion, in a variety of colors and brilliant patterns. Just imagine this huge beast adorned in fluffy pink, juggling in a rainbow-hued pair, and dressed in trousers all covered with stars. A funny, sweet, and fantastic tale.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Animals, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2004

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very silly story told in rhyme about a boy having adventures with an imaginary elephant and the different kinds of pants the elephant would wear based on the location--brown furry pants for hanging out with bears, green pants for hanging outside... Meh.

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute!!

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute quick story about a child's dream of going on an adventure with an elephant. I love the different pants! I read this to kids and they enjoyed it. Perfect for storytime! Very colorful!

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If elephants wore trousers...” is a great book to introduce poetry for children in the EYFS and KS1. It uses short descriptive words and rhymes; engaging children to use their imagination. The book is very colourful and illustrative, which catches the attention of children who read it or have it read to them. Children can discuss with their teacher or their talk partner what they would imagine the elephant could wear or draw a picture of a trouser for the elephant to wear, or they could talk about the illustrations. They could also try spotting and identifying the words that rhyme and try and spell it out using phonics.

[Round Lake Area Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhyming text tells the story of a young boy who dreams about elephants wearing different colors of pants.

I enjoy any picture book that rhymes, and this book was no exception. This is a very imaginative book about elephants that can be both silly and educational. It’s a beneficial book for those who need to learn their colors, with every elephant wearing different color pants.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the movement of this book as it told the story of an elephant escorting a little boy through his dreams. Each place they visit the elephant wears a different type of pants. Would make a cool extension activity.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like reading this one to my daughter. It is easy enough for her to understand while still capturing her attention for the entire book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was given to Evin while still in the womb, along with a blue stuffed elephant. A favorite..

[Kelly Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was thinking of using this book for one of my Toddler Times, but it is a little long and I did not care for the story. The illustrations are really cute though!

[John]

WONDERFUL storytime material!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book of silliness!

[Arielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5