Camilla Chameleon

by Colleen Sydor, Pascale Constantin (Illustrator)

Camilla is a little strange-looking. But she's one talented ? girl. She can pick up a hopscotch rock without even bending over. She can look at her teacher with one eye and read a comic book with the other. And, best of all, she can blend in perfectly with her surroundings -- so that no one, not even her parents, can tell she's there. Camouflaging sure comes in handy when it's time for her to go to the doctor or clean out the class hamster cage for her teacher. But one day Camilla blows her cover ? and finds herself in the spotlight. Colleen Sydor's spirited story and Pascale Constantin's brilliantly quirky illustrations bring to life a wonderfully weird girl who discovers that standing out isn't so bad after all.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 10, 2005

About the author

Colleen Sydor was born in Winnipeg and currently makes the city her home. A graduate of the University of Manitoba, she is not only a writer, she also works as a florist. In the last ten years she has won the McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award three times.

Reviews

[Kendra Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet story that has a lot of imagination involved. It shares a story of how it's okay to be different, and how it's also okay to step out of your comfort zone. It also includes many fun rhyming words, that allow an interactive read-aloud for students involved.

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it a lot it is my favorite book

[Phally Pech · Rating 4 out of 5]

Camilla Chameleon is a funky book about Camilla McNilly, and her family. Before Camilla was born, her mom Milly always craved chameleon soup. She and ate it daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and pretty much til Camilla was born. The McNilly has a very strange daughter, who possesses many strange talents. With such a strange appearance and personality, Camilla always finds herself blending in and never standing out.

Camilla Chameleon is a fun and great book to read, especially with your little girls. The cover is very eye catching, and the end paper is very girly and pink. The book does a great job in teaching the importance of acceptance and being comfortable in your own skin, in a fun and cute way. Another great thing about the book is the illustration. The illustrations are beautifully done. The colors are bold and the illustrations perfectly narrates the story.

[Dylan & Belle at LearnPlayFun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute story about a chameleon (born to real parents who later, give birth to a pterodactyl and an alligator - all because of the mother's penchant for drinking Cream of (name of animal) soup while pregnant!), and how that chameleon (Camilla) finds the best way to use her talents.

What Dylan says about this book:

I like how she blends in. I like how she acts. A very very good story. It was funny. I'd like to be like Camilla because if we're playing hide and seek and there's no place to hide, I could hide somewhere just by standing.

About the artwork: I like how they draw her when she's blended in.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is kinda wierd it is about this wife that has a craving for Cream of Chameleon Soup. So she eats to much of it so when she has a baby she turns out to be half chameleon! So when she gets called up to do things in school she just hides (she is really just invisible) and nobody can find her. But then when her mother gets a craving for Cream of Pterodactyl Soup then she has another baby and this time it is half pterodactyl. Then this book ends with a half alligater baby.
(I WANT YOU TO KNOW MY SISTER BROUGHT THIS BOOK HOME I DID NOT READ IT BY CHOICE)(:

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly unique story of a little girl / chameleon who uses her amazing blending ability to get out of all things unpleasant in life. But later she learns that blending in might not be all it's cracked up to be.

Engaging illustrations.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son loved this wacky story of a girl born with chameleon traits because her mother ate "Cream of Chameleon" soup when she was pregnant. (She has odd cravings during subsequent pregnancies, too!)

[Danielle Boccio · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations brought my rating to a 3. The story was OK, with some cute parts.