• Age: 2 to 5
• Grade: p to k
• Reading age: 2 to 5

Leon the chameleon has a problem. When the other little chameleons turn green, yellow or blue — he turns red, purple or orange! Leon doesn’t turn the opposite color on purpose. He just can’t help it. Being different makes Leon feel lonely.

One day, the little chameleons go exploring and lose their way. As the parents anxiously search for their little ones, they suddenly spot a speck of color far off in the distance. It’s Leon! And thanks to his brilliant hue, the little chameleons are rescued. This time, being different makes Leon feel proud!

Leon the Chameleon is a charming story that also explores the basic elements of color. At the end of the book, a color wheel displays primary colors and their complementary hues.

La jeune auteure-illustratrice Mélanie Watt, née à Trois-Rivières, a remporté pour son travail de prestigieuses récompenses, dont le Prix Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz, le Prix Blue Spruce et le Prix Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon, tous les trois pour Frisson l'écureuil.

It was in a design class taught by Michèle Lemieux at the University of Quebec in Montreal that author and illustrator Mélanie Watt created her first picture book, Leon the Chameleon, which was later published by Kids Can Press. Watt went on to create several more books, including the Learning with Animals collection and Augustine, which was named an ALA Notable Children's Book. Watt has also illustrated Where Does a Tiger-Heron Spend the Night? and Bearcub and Mama, which won the 2006 IRA Teachers” Choices Project.

Mélanie's best known book, Scaredy Squirrel, has won many awards, including the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children”s Book Award for Children”s Picture Book and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator”s Award. The release of Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend was met with enthusiastic reviews and incredible sales, confirming the arrival of kid lit's newest superstar. Chester, Chester's Back! and Chester's Masterpiece are about a megalomaniac cat who is every bit the antithesis to Scaredy. Chester has already become a bestseller, and shows the breadth and creativity of Mélanie Watt.

Scaredy returns to take a few more tentative steps out of his comfort zone in Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach and Scaredy Squirrel at Night. Mélanie has often noted how the Scaredy Squirrel books helped her work out her own insecurities and fears, as the success of these titles has required her to venture out into the unknown, and like Scaredy she has found the experience truly uplifting.

Mélanie currently resides near Montreal, Quebec.

Melanie Watt's profile page

• Short-listed, Young Adults' Choices, International Reading Association
• Short-listed, Book of the Year Award, ForeWord Magazine
• Winner, Our Choice, Canadian Children’s Book Centre
• Runner-up, International Book Award, The Society of School Librarians International

Watt debuts with a simple tale that is partly a celebration of physical differences and partly a lesson in color theory. Bright hues and simple shapes lend plenty of visual appeal to the illustrations, especially when the entire double-paged spread is one color (green, for instance) and Leon stands out like a sore thumb. These are the purest colors, too, strong and clear, a plus compared to what is often found in books on color.

Kirkus Reviews

Watt’s use of primary colors and bold black outlines makes this a good choice for storytimes …

Quill & Quire

Young children will enjoy the brightly hued cartoon illustrations and will understand the message about appreciating differences.

School Library Journal

… this is not only a comforting tale about being special but also a visually effective choice for children just learning colors.

Booklist