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The Crafty Chameleon: An inclusive, funny, rhyming picture book about kindness, friendship and learning to love yourself just the way you are!
Would you trust a shifty, shade wearing chameleon selling stuff from the back of a van?The Crafty Chameleon sells all sorts of tat…squawks, stripes, even wings! He preys on the animals with low self-esteem and sells them junk they really don’t need! Will he ever get his comeuppance? And what will it take for these incredible animals to realise that being different can be rather wonderful?Ensure instant smiles and chuckles with this much-loved story of friendship, kindness and learning to love yourself just the way you are!
Kindle Edition
Published August 8, 2021
10 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Francesca Watt
37 books10 followersFrancesca lives with her little family near beautiful Cannock Chase in Staffordshire where she writes and illustrates picture books. As an autism mom and someone who struggles with self-esteem and anxiety issues herself, she is passionate about creating picture books that can make children and parents laugh together and encourage important conversations towards improving mental health and growth mindset.
The Christmas Crew was her fun, festive debut in 2019, followed by The Christmas Crew Activity Book in 2020, and The Crafty Chameleon in August 2021 (Little Unisaur Books). Her latest picture book, All in a Flap (Little Unisaur Books - May 2022) is the first book in the Arnold & Lou series.
When she is not busy writing or drawing you will find her reading, playing Lego with her boys or adventuring in the forest and swinging on tree swings!
The Christmas Crew was her fun, festive debut in 2019, followed by The Christmas Crew Activity Book in 2020, and The Crafty Chameleon in August 2021 (Little Unisaur Books). Her latest picture book, All in a Flap (Little Unisaur Books - May 2022) is the first book in the Arnold & Lou series.
When she is not busy writing or drawing you will find her reading, playing Lego with her boys or adventuring in the forest and swinging on tree swings!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 16, 2024
This book was really amazing my daughter loves the whining and I loved how it showed about people coming together to learn everybody is unique. It shows how people can take advantage of your insecurities for their own gain and not yours and overall is a really good book
October 16, 2021
A book that is equally funny and heartwarming, with beautiful illustrations done by the author herself. Meet Cody Chameleon, a unique sort of business entrepreneur, who is looking to make an “honest living” by selling various things from the back of his van… squawks, stripes, even wings.
Cody Chameleon has a thriving business. His clients really believe in his promises and they end up buying things they don’t actually need. Imagine a lion who buys a roar button, a bear who ends up wearing a fake fur coat, or a leopard with painted dots. What do all these animals have in common? They all deal with low self-esteem, falling prey to the sparkling promises of the crafty chameleon. Where will his business endeavors take him? And what will happen once his clients realize they don’t need the junk he sold? It’s all in the book, you just have to read it.
My daughter loved this story and I was equally excited. We are always on the lookout for books with inspiring stories and we were happy to come across this particular one. I found the idea behind the story to be both original and funny. I am sure other kids will love it, this is the perfect book for bedtime, the kind they will want to read over and over again.
The book offers several valuable lessons. Here is a story about self-acceptance, the perfect choice for kids who are dealing with self-esteem issues. The message? We are all unique and we should love ourselves exactly as we are. It also introduces children to the value of friendship, teaching them that kindness can make all the difference.
When it comes to including, early education is key and this story offers the perfect opportunity to approach such serious topics with our little bookworms. It is also funny, and our kids need humor to escape current reality, at least for a few moments. My daughter had a lot of fun reading this book the first time. Children love rhyming books, and they remember stories written in this style more easily.
This a wonderful book, with many lessons to remember and apply in everyday life. As parents, it is up to us to introduce kids to the right values and make sure they integrated these as their own. Books like “The Crafty Chameleon” can help us do just that and so much more!
Cody Chameleon has a thriving business. His clients really believe in his promises and they end up buying things they don’t actually need. Imagine a lion who buys a roar button, a bear who ends up wearing a fake fur coat, or a leopard with painted dots. What do all these animals have in common? They all deal with low self-esteem, falling prey to the sparkling promises of the crafty chameleon. Where will his business endeavors take him? And what will happen once his clients realize they don’t need the junk he sold? It’s all in the book, you just have to read it.
My daughter loved this story and I was equally excited. We are always on the lookout for books with inspiring stories and we were happy to come across this particular one. I found the idea behind the story to be both original and funny. I am sure other kids will love it, this is the perfect book for bedtime, the kind they will want to read over and over again.
The book offers several valuable lessons. Here is a story about self-acceptance, the perfect choice for kids who are dealing with self-esteem issues. The message? We are all unique and we should love ourselves exactly as we are. It also introduces children to the value of friendship, teaching them that kindness can make all the difference.
When it comes to including, early education is key and this story offers the perfect opportunity to approach such serious topics with our little bookworms. It is also funny, and our kids need humor to escape current reality, at least for a few moments. My daughter had a lot of fun reading this book the first time. Children love rhyming books, and they remember stories written in this style more easily.
This a wonderful book, with many lessons to remember and apply in everyday life. As parents, it is up to us to introduce kids to the right values and make sure they integrated these as their own. Books like “The Crafty Chameleon” can help us do just that and so much more!
August 18, 2021
This is a funny, rhyming story that both my children (and I!) love!
Cody Chameleon is Crafty!
'He preyed on the animals
who really stood out
Who didn't fit in and
were filled with self doubt.'
Cody is mean and unkind and he manages to con the animals into buying all sorts of things...
A necklace with a button for the timid lion that roars for him....
A fake fur coat for bear to cover his bald patches.
Luckily the animals start to realise that maybe they're fine just as they are. Will that nasty, mean Chameleon get his comeuppance? You need to read it to find out!
I love the message in this story: EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS! Everyone is unique and special just as they are. This is so important for children to hear and this book delivers the message in such a fun and clever way!
I love all the characters that Francesca has created. I think we've all met a 'Cody' and it's easy to relate to some of the other animals with their self doubt too.
The illustrations in this story are stunning and really bring the story to life. My children spent ages looking at and discussing each of the characters.
This would be a great story to use in school PSHE lessons to introduce the more complex issues of bullying, inclusion and diversity and start discussions. It also makes a fun and enjoyable bedtime story and has already become a favourite in our house!
Cody Chameleon is Crafty!
'He preyed on the animals
who really stood out
Who didn't fit in and
were filled with self doubt.'
Cody is mean and unkind and he manages to con the animals into buying all sorts of things...
A necklace with a button for the timid lion that roars for him....
A fake fur coat for bear to cover his bald patches.
Luckily the animals start to realise that maybe they're fine just as they are. Will that nasty, mean Chameleon get his comeuppance? You need to read it to find out!
I love the message in this story: EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS! Everyone is unique and special just as they are. This is so important for children to hear and this book delivers the message in such a fun and clever way!
I love all the characters that Francesca has created. I think we've all met a 'Cody' and it's easy to relate to some of the other animals with their self doubt too.
The illustrations in this story are stunning and really bring the story to life. My children spent ages looking at and discussing each of the characters.
This would be a great story to use in school PSHE lessons to introduce the more complex issues of bullying, inclusion and diversity and start discussions. It also makes a fun and enjoyable bedtime story and has already become a favourite in our house!
August 17, 2021
This story is so fun and amusing, but at the heart is an important and sweet message about loving yourself and embracing what makes you unique. I loved all the animal characters with their characteristics that made them so different from what we'd expect. I'm sure children will find all the characters fun and loveable, and the Crafty Chameleon funny and... definitely crafty! The story builds up as that darn chameleon tries to trick all the other animals, but it all comes to a point when his tricky ways are discovered and the animals realize they should not try to change who they are. This is such an important lesson for kids to learn and the way it is written and illustrated is so appealing! I love the fun ways the text is written on some the pages; it made it even more visually enjoyable. This is overall such a fun story and important story for everyone! I loved it.
August 17, 2021
This wonderful story had me smiling and chuckling in an instant!
This book had me smiling and chuckling in an instant! Cody the chameleon is the ‘baddie’ in the story, but he’s rather endearing, because he’s SO funny! 🤣
Children will learn that not everyone is to be trusted in life, which in itself is an important message. They will learn that Cody is cunning, a crafty crook, who can change his colours to get what he wants. He does this with great humour that wins the trust of insecure animals along the way! The animals, having been collectively duped by Cody, soon come to realise that they don’t need his ‘tat’ to make them feel better about themselves. They were all exactly as they were meant to be!
This story serves as a brilliantly funny and dare I say, crafty way, to help us all EMBRACE OUR UNIQUENESS.
This book had me smiling and chuckling in an instant! Cody the chameleon is the ‘baddie’ in the story, but he’s rather endearing, because he’s SO funny! 🤣
Children will learn that not everyone is to be trusted in life, which in itself is an important message. They will learn that Cody is cunning, a crafty crook, who can change his colours to get what he wants. He does this with great humour that wins the trust of insecure animals along the way! The animals, having been collectively duped by Cody, soon come to realise that they don’t need his ‘tat’ to make them feel better about themselves. They were all exactly as they were meant to be!
This story serves as a brilliantly funny and dare I say, crafty way, to help us all EMBRACE OUR UNIQUENESS.
August 14, 2021
Embrace your uniqueness!
I absolutely love this book! It is beautifully written in rhyme and has a wonderful message about loving yourself just the way you are. The illustrations are also very unique and eye-catching. I love the little details and the way the text is laid out as well. There is even a secret code and find the difference activity at the end making this a very fun and engaging book for kids. They will want to read this over and over again! It's simply wonderful and teaches kids of all ages about kindness and loving one another including ourselves just as we are. Highly recommended!
I absolutely love this book! It is beautifully written in rhyme and has a wonderful message about loving yourself just the way you are. The illustrations are also very unique and eye-catching. I love the little details and the way the text is laid out as well. There is even a secret code and find the difference activity at the end making this a very fun and engaging book for kids. They will want to read this over and over again! It's simply wonderful and teaches kids of all ages about kindness and loving one another including ourselves just as we are. Highly recommended!
August 27, 2021
This is a very fun and funny children's picture book. The author does a wonderful job with the easy flowing, rhyming text. The illustrations are full of colorful and familiar animals that children will easily recognize. There are also some humorous scenes in the background that adults will enjoy. An easy reading story that children will love to read over and over. It also has educational value to teach kids about animals and what makes them special. This adds to the overall message of the book. We are all special in our own way. Well done.
February 19, 2022
Love yourself just the way you are!
The Crafty Chameleon book is cloaked in disguise similarly to the crafty chameleon himself! However, unlike Cody the chameleon, the story is genuine with an important message about self-love and empowerment hidden in cute, whimsical illustrations, clever rhymes, and humor.
Kids will have fun discovering the message while giggling at the chameleon and all the "crafty" things he tells the other animals they should do. Don't try to change yourself to be like others--be uniquely you!
The Crafty Chameleon book is cloaked in disguise similarly to the crafty chameleon himself! However, unlike Cody the chameleon, the story is genuine with an important message about self-love and empowerment hidden in cute, whimsical illustrations, clever rhymes, and humor.
Kids will have fun discovering the message while giggling at the chameleon and all the "crafty" things he tells the other animals they should do. Don't try to change yourself to be like others--be uniquely you!
September 9, 2022
In a world that advertises everything we “need” to be better, The Crafty Chameleon is an excellent story for our children. With clever & lovable characters and cute illustrations, we learn to celebrate our uniqueness and to love ourselves just as we are. Written in rhyme, the story brought a smile to my face and a hug to my heart.
February 11, 2022
Definitely one your children will want to read again and again!
I would recommend this creative book just for the illustrations alone but the message of embracing our uniqueness comes through loud and clear in an extremely cute way. Plus the activities at the back are awesome.
I would recommend this creative book just for the illustrations alone but the message of embracing our uniqueness comes through loud and clear in an extremely cute way. Plus the activities at the back are awesome.
August 25, 2021
I absolutely loved The Crafty Chameleon! I enjoyed the flow of rhyming words throughout the pages- will easily hold your little ones attention for the entire book. The illustrations are very unique, colorful and captivating. The Crafty Chameleon does a great job teaching all children that they are special and should be proud of who they are. My students are going to love this one! I am excited to read more from this lovely author! :)
March 15, 2023
This is such an imaginative and fun story to read. The rhyme is perfect and the illustrations are just beautiful. I have all of this author's books and they're wonderful!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews