The Elephants Visit London Read online

  “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

  Shepherd’s 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