Mary Wrightly is a quiet, polite girl who has such a small, soft voice, she often has to repeat herself.  When Mary and her mother go to a toy store to buy a birthday gift for her young brother, they find the store quite crowded.  As people keep bumping into Mary, she quietly apologizes.  When someone takes the toy for which she was reaching, she apologizes.  She knows it is not polite to sulk, but over and over again, her hopes for finding the perfect gift are dashed.  At last, she finds a perfect small, blue elephant and again someone takes it.  This time asserting herself, Mary exclaims in a loud voice that she wants to give that toy to her baby brother.  This time the other person apologizes!  As Mary carries the soft elephant home, many people admire it.  Mary again uses her good manners and responds politely.  Charming illustrations in jewel-toned pastels are digitally retouched.  They portray expressions and emotions of Mary and others quite well.