Prize winning illustrator Emily Gravett triumphs again in her witty story of how a lonely chameleon does what he does best in a desperate attempt to make a new friend. Changing colour comes naturally to the blue chameleon so he tries yellow and says hi to a banana, pink to greet a cockatoo, brown to say Howdy to a handsome cowboy boot… Nothing seems to work until the triumphant and delightful final spread when the chameleon finds another chameleon – just like him!
He can turn himself into anything and appear to fit in anywhere, but it seems that neither the swirly snail, the green grasshopper nor the stripy sock want to be friends. Will he ever find someone to talk to? Someone just like him? With a subtle and witty interplay between words and illustrations, this introduction to colours and shapes (and chameleons) is sure to delight everyone, from the youngest child upwards. This is another triumph by prize-winning Emily Gravett.
Gravett’s affinity with the picture book form is evident once again in this latest offering. Less elaborate than many of her ideas, this one focuses on playful visual dialogue across each double-page spread as our flexible friend takes on the characteristics of various objects and creatures before revealing his true identity. This is a book that works on several levels. Best of all, it is an introduction to shapes and colours, visual thinking. Elegantly designed with plenty of white space, including subtle use of spot lamination, this is one of Gravett’s best books to date.
Author
About Emily Gravett
Emily Gravett has a rare talent indeed for creating exceptional books for children.
The winner of two CILIP Kate Greenaway Medals, her skill and wit are second to none. Emily first sprang into the limelight with the ground-breaking Wolves in 2005, which has been followed by such modern classics as Meerkat Mail, Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears, Monkey and Me and Again! and the fabulous Bear and Hare series for younger readers, as well as the beautiful Tidy, Old Hat, Cyril and Pat and Meerkat Christmas.
Each book is unique and different from the last – and each features endearing, beautifully drawn characters that touch the heart and tickle the funny bone.
Emily lives in Brighton with her family.
Julia Eccleshare, the editorial expert on Lovereading4kids says, Prize-winning illustrator Emily Gravett’s distinctive illustrations are always full of wit bringing the unexpected into stories and injecting them all with delightful humour. There’s magic in Spells as a frog turns himself into a handsome prince – well, almost!, excellent advice for rabbits on how to spot the danger of wolves in Wolves, lots of useful tips on how to be braver than you feel in Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears, a thoughtful exploration of how home often turns out to be best despite feelings of wanderlust in Meerkat Mail, a celebration of exuberant movement in Monkey and Me and a fresh and delightful look at Dogs.
