If We Were All the Same [1987]

This story opens with Lady Elaine flying in a spaceship and stumbling upon Planet Purple.

On Planet Purple everything is the same -- the cars, the houses, the people, and even their thoughts. All men are called Paul and all women are called Pauline while purple pandas exist in multitude and are all referred to simply as Purple Panda.

Upon Lady Elaine's departure from Planet Purple, the Purple inhabitants have an idea to visit the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Returning to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Lady Elaine dresses in and paints her Museum-Go-Round purple in order to make herself more like her new friends.

When Paul, Pauline, and Purple Panda arrive in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, they are surprised to find that Lady Elaine has taken on the Purple lifestyle as they are more excited by all of the colors and differences found in the Neighborhood. Learning that she is valued in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe for her eccentricity, Lady Elaine returns to life as usual. Meanwhile, Purple Panda decides to stay in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe as Paul and Pauline return to Planet Purple with new ideas of individuality.

For more on this book, visit the Neighborhood Archive.