“Why did you come back to the school with us? Why didn’t you stay with your parents?” asked Miss Wren.
“Because we were having so much fun,” said Harold.
“And Trevor has such yummy sweets!” piped up Penelope. “Oh, please do not be cross with us, Miss Wren. We did not mean to be bad.”
“Your parents are very worried about you,” said Miss Wren. “I have just heard an announcement on the radio. The Prime Minister and Scotland Yard are looking for you.”
“Oh, no!” cried Harold. “We did not mean to cause such trouble!”
“Now you must say good-bye to the other children. We will telephone the Prime Minister,” said Miss Wren. “He will tell your parents that you are safe.”
Harold and Penelope said good-bye to their new friends. They promised that they would come back for a visit. As soon as their parents allowed them to come.
“Tell them that it will be educational,” said Trevor. He winked. He gave Harold and Penelope the rest of the bag of sweets.
Miss Wren took Harold and Penelope to the Headmaster’s office. They telephoned the Prime Minister from there.
Mrs. Elephant cried with joy that her children were safe.
Mr. Elephant said, “Do not worry, children. You are not in trouble. But your mother and I have been very worried.”
A police car came to the school. Miss Wren helped Harold and Penelope to squeeze into it.
“Good-bye children,” said Miss Wren. “Have a good time visiting London. And please do not wander away from your parents again.”
“Thank you, Miss Wren,” said Harold and Penelope. “We are awfully sorry that we caused so much trouble.”
The police car took Harold and Penelope to Number 10 Downing Street. Mrs. Elephant was overjoyed to have her children back. She hugged them both tightly.
Mr. Elephant also hugged his children. Then he warned them, “You must never wander off again. Your mother was afraid that you had been kidnapped.”
“We are sorry, Daddy,” said Penelope. “We were having so much fun. And the other children did not care that we were elephants.”
“Right,” said Harold. “They were not afraid at all.”
The Prime Minister invited the Elephant family to stay for dinner. He asked them, “What do you plan to do during your visit to London?”
“I want to see more dinosaurs!” said Penelope.
“I want to see the Tower of London!” said Harold. “Please, Mummy, it will be educational!”
“Very well,” said Mrs. Elephant, “since it will be educational. I want to see the Crown Jewels while we are at the Tower of London.”
“Wherever we go I just want to take a taxi,” said Mr. Elephant. “Your Underground turnstiles are too small for me.”
The Elephants and the Prime Minister were served fish and chips with peas for dinner. This pleased the Elephants, because elephants are very fond of peas. As everyone knows by now.
What the Elephants Saw in London
Heathrow Airport
Westminster Palace and Big Ben
Westminster Abbey
London Eye
Tower Bridge
Tower of London
St. Paul’s Cathedral
London Underground
St. James’s Park
Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
Piccadilly Circus
British Museum
Covent Garden
Museum of Natural History
Scotland Yard
Number 10 Downing Street
What the Elephants Ate in London
Fish and chips
Cornish pasty
Cottage pie
Toad in the Hole
Tea with milk and sugar
Scones with clotted cream jam
Steak and kidney pie
Bangers and mash
Cider
Full English Breakfast: tea, toast with jam, eggs, sausages, bacon, baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and black pudding
…and of course, peas! Because (as everyone knows by know) elephants are very fond of peas.
The Elephants’ Guide to British Terms
pocket money = allowance
holiday = vacation
car boot = trunk
lift = elevator
Underground = subway
sweet = candy
telephone call box = telephone booth
Royal Mail = British mail service
telly = television
school headmaster = principal
The Elephants’ Guide to British Food
Fish and chips = fried fish and French fries
Cornish pasty = beef and potatoes in a pie crust that is eaten without a fork
Cottage pie = stew of beef, corn, and peas cooked in a pie crust with mashed potatoes on top
Toad in the Hole = sausages cooked in a soft bread mix
Scone = an American biscuit
Steak and kidney pie = chopped beef steak and beef kidneys cooked in a pie crust
Shepherd’s pie = a lamb stew cooked in a pie crust with mashed potatoes on top
Bangers and mash = sausages and mashed potatoes
Black pudding = a sausage made with beef blood and other fillings
About the Author
Beverly Eschberger enjoys writing books she would have liked to read as a child. These books include The Elephant Family series, and several other books soon to be published.
Ms. Eschberger lives in New Mexico, with her husband Geoff and son Christopher. As well as two cats. When she does not have her nose buried in a book, she enjoys writing about paleontology, nature, and travel.
Table of Contents
The Elephants of Elephas
A Holiday in London
Disguises
Riding the Underground
Sightseeing in London
The Museum of Natural History
New Friends
Calling Scotland Yard
Number 10 Downing Street
What the Elephants Saw in London
What the Elephants Ate in London
The Elephants’ Guide to British Terms
The Elephants’ Guide to British Food
About the Author