When Elephant comes upon a big red umbrella, he has no idea what it is. He tries in vain to use it—to fly, to float, to hide behind—but it’s only when it begins to rain that he figures out the true purpose of the “thingamabob.” Il Sung Na’s whimsical illustrations were made using Adobe Photoshop to layer various painted textures. He cleverly uses understatement and shifting perspectives to show the beginnings and endings of each of Elephant’s experiments with the umbrella. Even the youngest listeners will be likely to know what the thingamabob is, and will enjoy Elephant’s perception of it as something exotic and unusual. (Ages 2–5)

"One day, he found the thingamabob.
He had no idea what it was or where it came from. . . .
"So begins the story of a curious elephant and a mysterious red object. But what is it?! When none of his friends can tell him, the little elephant decides to experiment. He thinks: Maybe I can fly with it? (Maybe not.) Maybe I can sail in it? (Maybe not.) Maybe I can hide behind it? (Maybe not.) Nothing seems to work, until big drops of rain begin to fall. The little elephant does not want to get wet. Luckily, with the thingamabob (an umbrella), he does not "need "to get wet!
With bright, adorable illustrations and a simple, playful text, Il Sung Na captures the excitement of making--and sharing--an unexpected discovery.

"From the Hardcover edition."