David McKee 

Elmer – celebrating difference for 25 years – in pictures

The world's most colourful elephant has been opening people's minds to accepting difference and being themselves for a quarter of a century – no wonder he has become a LGBT hero! Plus win a limited edition Elmer book with a picture drawn inside by David McKee
  
  


Elmer : 5. Elmer wind
Elmer is really about accepting who you are, about celebrating difference. We are all different to a greater or lesser degree. Elmer is really about accepting who you are, about celebrating difference. We are all different to a greater or lesser degree. I find it interesting that sometimes people write to me and refer to Elmer as a girl in the stories – as Elma. We are all different, with so many differences, difference of colour, of accents, but also of size, shape and how we dress. The differences are what make the world so rich. It's strange because we humans seem to like difference in other things - in dogs and trees and flowers, but we don't accept it in people. If people aren't like us, we don't accept them. Elmer tried to be like the other elephants but in the end he has to be himself. This image is from my book Elmer and the Wind, published by Andersen Press, 1997). Photograph: David McKee
Elmer : 1 cave birds
This illustration The cave was full of birds is from Elmer and the Big Bird, published by Andersen Press, 2008. My French publisher laughed when she saw this picture and said "Only you would have drawn all the birds individually". Photograph: David McKee
Elmer : 9. Sunglasses
I don't like to dress the elephants in clothes but I couldn't resist these sunglasses. Don't his sunglasses look funny can be seen in Elmer's Weather, published by Andersen Press, 1994. Photograph: David McKee
Elmer : 10. Emer and lost teddy
Everyone needs a teddy, even Elmer. This book gave me a chance to say "You don't have to be different to be special". Elmer, Wilbur and the Lost Teddy was published in Elmer and the Lost Teddy, by Andersen Press, 1999) Photograph: David McKee
Elmer : 3 Elmer snow
Elmer appeared with snowballs in Elmer in the Snow, published by Andersen Press, 1995). This book is about judging things by comparison. When I painted the snow I felt very cold! Photograph: DAvid McKee
Elmer : 4. monkey
Elmer's Hide and Seek book (published by Andersen Press, 2001) is a lift the flap book. I wanted the pictures to work with and without the flap and I always enjoy drawing monkeys in trees. Photograph: David McKee
Elmer : new arrival
New Arrival (greetings card design). What with the baby boom, the storks were very busy, so Elmer had to help out. The ideas for these cards often come very naturally. Photograph: David McKee
Elmer : 6. Elmer and grandpa
The title page illustration, along with the endpapers and cover artwork need to sum up a story without giving away the ending. They are interesting to work on, and are often created once the story has been completed. This illustration was for the title page artwork for Elmer and Grandpa Eldo, published by Andersen Press, 2010. Photograph: David McKee
Elmer : 7. Elmer and the hippos
The cover has a different purpose and has to be attractive to sell the book. You also have to consider where the design space for the text will go. Here is the cover for Elmer and the hippos, published by Andersen Press, 2003. Photograph: David McKee
Elmer : 8. Elmer Rose
The pink elephants were a lot of fun to draw. This illustration is Rose gave Old a flower and it was published in Elmer, Rose and Super El, published by Andersen Press, 2012).

Remember if you would want the chance of winning a limited edition of my 25th Anniversary Elmer book with a picture by me drawn inside by email childrens.books@theguardian.com with 'Elmer book' as your heading, telling us why it should be you and your child who should win it! You have until 26 May 2014 to get your entries in!

The Elmer exhibition and sale of original Elmer artwork is at the IllustrationCupboard Gallery in London from the 14 May to 7 June, focusing on the special friendship and working relationship between myself and my publisher at Andersen Press, Klaus Flugge. Photograph: David McKee
 

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