- First published
- 1964
- Editions
- 2 editions
- Status
- In print
Ella
A vain, spoiled circus elephant grows so conceited that she gets left behind, and only after hard work on a farm does Ella learn to appreciate the circus life she once took for granted.
"Ella was such an intelligent creature She had learned every trick that her trainer could teach her. The crowds which packed in to the big top each night Applauded and cheered Ella's act with delight. She took it all in with her great ears outspread So it all went directly to Ella's big head."
On the original family site, his son wrote that this story reveals his dad's love for circuses and Indiana farms. It features a self-centered elephant who needs to be unspoiled, and Ella learns to appreciate the circus after working on a farm. Originally the elephant was named Big George. Elephants were probably his father's favorite animal: three other stories featured them, Encore for Eleanor, The Ant and the Elephant, and his first book Hubert's Hair-Raising Adventure. (Bill Peet, Jr.)
Preliminary sketches
