Wellington's Big Day Out

It’s little elephant Wellington’s fifth birthday and he’s excited when he receives a jacket exactly like his Dad’s. However his delight is short-lived for when he tries it on, it’s far too big. Mum steps in with a suggestion to make the day a good one nonetheless, and off go Dad and the birthday elephant first to visit the tailor for a jacket alteration and then on to see Grandad. On boarding the bus Wellington is happy to discover he now needs to pay for a ticket but when they reach the city, the tailor’s shop is temporarily closed so they go instead into the music shop where Wellington tries his trunk at tuba playing, though not very successfully. Never mind, Dad suggests passing some time in the ice-cream parlour, but there Wellington finds his super-sized sundae a tad too big. Even then the tailor isn’t there when they return to the shop so it’s off to Grandad’s.

Grandad gives Wellington a hearty welcome but when Dad mentions that new jacket, his son decides that rather than it being too big, it’s he that’s too small. Or is he? Thanks to Grandad’s wise words and revelations, the little elephant learns that just like his Dad did, he is growing up exactly as fast as he should be.

Encouraging young children to appreciate growing up just a little at a time and enjoying the moment, this lovely story portraying the warmth of the bond between family members, particularly father and son, is illustrated with gentle humour and some wonderfully quirky details, not least the mouse bit part players.