Five of Kipling's Just so stories, including "How the camel got his hump," "How the rhinoceros got his skin" and "How the elephant got his trunk" are included here. The tales are brought vividly to life by Kipling's young daughter, Elsie, and a group of new friends she has made during a visit with her aunt while her parents are away. Elsie receives in the mail from her father a recently published copy of his new book, a series of animal adventures. Elsie and her friends eagerly act out the stories until they come to the final one which, to the surprise of her friends, Elsie is reluctant to enact. The ending, which holds a surprise or two, is moving and uplifting as Elsie learns something about herself and her friends as well.