Bao

Bao is an elephant and Mumi’s best friend. He is a white elephant, unlike all the other elephants, and that detail is not decorative: it is what his story is about. He loves to play, explore and spend the day at the beach with his friends, and in that he is like any child. What makes him interesting is how he joined the group: he was not accepted in spite of being different, nor did he stop being different to fit in. He is still a white elephant at the end of his story, and what changed is what the others do with that difference.

What this character shows

• •Being the new one, and what it feels like when everyone looks at you differently.
• •That a difference can be what you bring rather than what you have to hide.
• •Friendship between two who are nothing alike.