Elmer was first published by Dobson Books in 1968, and re-issued with re-drawn illustrations in a slightly shortened version by Andersen Press in 1989.

Elmer is an elephant with yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue, green, black and white squares arranged as a patchwork.

The story of Elmer was originally narrated by British voice actor Johnny Morris, who died on 6 May 1999, aged 82.

Sophie Aldred also read his first story which was also animated by Mike Hibbert in an episode of Words and Pictures from 1993, featuring the letter E. A musical stage version created by Jonathan Rockefeller was adapted by Suzanne Maynard Miller, with songs by Allison Leyton-Brown.

After an initial engagement in Toronto (December 2017), Elmer the Patchwork Elephant show embarked upon a tour of the UK in January 2019.