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16th out of 65 books
—
58 voters
The Mixed-Up Chameleon
by
Eric Carle
The chameleon's life was not very exciting until the day it discovered it could change not only its color but its shape and size, too. When it saw the wonderful animals in the zoo, it immediately wanted to be like them -- and ended up like "all" of them at once -- with hilarious results.
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
January 17th 1998
by HarperFestival
(first published 1975)
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This is a great story; as usual Eric Carle's illustrations just jump off the page, making everything seem alive. This story was a good follow up for the kids discussion on chameleons today. It reinforced what they learned about chameleons changing colors. A few pictures also supported the fact that a chameleon's eyes are independent of each other and can look two ways at once, I never knew this before so that was interesting. If I hadn't seen my cooperating teacher mention this to the class I wo...more
Eric Carle – The Mixed Up Chameleon
This book describes a chameleon trying to make itself more interesting. It’s bored of changing colour as it walks over different materials and catches flys. Stumbling across a zoo provides inspiration. The chameleon feels small and weak compared to the other big and exciting animals and so changes more than just its colour. It copies the most interesting parts of lots of animals and incorporates these into its own body. But the chameleon isn’t happy and when it...more
This book describes a chameleon trying to make itself more interesting. It’s bored of changing colour as it walks over different materials and catches flys. Stumbling across a zoo provides inspiration. The chameleon feels small and weak compared to the other big and exciting animals and so changes more than just its colour. It copies the most interesting parts of lots of animals and incorporates these into its own body. But the chameleon isn’t happy and when it...more
This was another cute story by Eric Carle. The basic story line is there is a chameleon, who is pretty cool in my opinion, that can change into the color of whatever he is sitting or standing on. He decides that he doesn’t really like himself once he sees a zoo full of other kinds of bright animals. So…he starts wishing! He wishes to be handsome like a flamingo, able to hide in a shell like a turtle and strong like an elephant. Instead of changing into the animal, he gets little parts of each an...more
As always Eric Carle does a wonderful job. The mixed-Up Chameleon is a stunning combination of great illustrations,a character building plot line, and a set up that make this book and easy five star rating. One of the things that I really like about Eric Carle's books is how he sets up the pages. For instance, in this book he corners the pages at the end so that as the chameleon goes through all the different animals that he wants to be they are cataloged so that the children can keep track of t...more
The Mixed-Up Chameleon is about a chameleon that sees a zoo one day; amazed by all the animals he begins to make wishes to be different aspects of each. Finally, the mixed-up chameleon discovers being himself is the best way to be after all. Once again, Eric Carle uses his fun, bright, and colorful art to tell a charming and memorable story to children. Several concepts can be learned from this book including colors, animal identification and attributes (big and white like a polar bear, swim lik...more
The Mixed-Up Chameleon is a great story to teach kids that they should be proud to be unique individuals. A chameleon walks through a zoo one day. Every time he passes an animal he admires, he wishes that some part of him could be just like that animal. Through this, the chameleon gets parts like a turtle's shell and an elephant's trunk. Eventually he becomes so mixed up that he can't catch a fly for dinner. The story ends with the chameleon being content to be himself. i thought this was a grea...more
Summary: This story is about a chameleon who did not have a very exciting life. One day he discovered the zoo and wished he could change into the color, shape, and size of other animals. When he began wishing he could be like all of them, he became very confused and upset because he was hungry and could not catch a fly with his elephant trunk. So he finally wished he could be himself and finally became himself and caught the fly.
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Uses: Guided Reading, In...more
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Uses: Guided Reading, In...more
The book is written in a portrait orientation. The end pages are textured like leaves or a fern which fits with the subject of the story which is about a chameleon. The colors are very bright and colorful. The illustrations are done in a collage with paper cut into shapes and made into the animals. If there is a ground in the illustration, it is full bleed whereas most of the illustrations are done on a white background. The text is very simple. The illustrations are very unrealistic with a lot...more
-Sequencing
-Be Yourself!
-Creative Writing
-Cause and Effect
-Predicting what the chameleon is going to turn into
I created a large prop for this story from Block I to use while reading this story :)
Idea froom Eric Carle's offical site:
While reading an assortment of Eric Carle books, I used The Mixed Up Chameleon to create a class book of my kindergarten students. I took full length pictures of my class. After developing them, I mounted them onto paper and cut them into 3 sections, head, body, and l...more
-Be Yourself!
-Creative Writing
-Cause and Effect
-Predicting what the chameleon is going to turn into
I created a large prop for this story from Block I to use while reading this story :)
Idea froom Eric Carle's offical site:
While reading an assortment of Eric Carle books, I used The Mixed Up Chameleon to create a class book of my kindergarten students. I took full length pictures of my class. After developing them, I mounted them onto paper and cut them into 3 sections, head, body, and l...more
I loved The Mixed Up Chameleon! This book will be enjoyed by younger readers with a simple sense of humor. Every page has bright images that attract kids and will have them wanting to turn the page to see the next. It teaches the message of being content with who you are, and that “the grass is not always greener on the other side.” In our world today, one of the biggest issues is kids not being content with who they are. So many psychological issues arise because they try to impress their frien...more
This book is a great addition to any Elementary classroom. This book hits many learning points such as the recognition and labeling of colors and the characteristics of a Chameleon species. The story goes on to reveal that being your self is usually the best choice. The story conveys that it might seem like other people have important qualities that are of greater importance than you’re your own, but embracing your own qualities as being unique and important is key. This story has illustrations...more
The Chameleon did very little through out his day, but he liked to catch and eat flies. Yet, the Chameleon thought his life was pretty boring. But, one day he went to zoo and saw all these pretty animals. The Chameleon wished he was all these different animals and his wishes were coming true, but the Chameleon was getting mixed up with different animal parts. So, when a fly came by and he wanted to eat it, he couldn't because of all the changes. Then, he wished he was just a chameleon again. Gre...more
Mar 03, 2013
Cassie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
colors,
animals,
books-about-wishes,
board-books,
toddler,
preschool,
dialogic-reading,
print-motivation,
talking
Ages 2 and up. The humor has the potential to hold younger readers attention, and the board book format makes it easier for young toddlers to manipulate the pages themselves. This book teaches colors effectively without the text explicitly teaching them. I love the physical format of the book, the story can be read forwards, and the tabs allow for it to be looked at backwards with a review of the animals and colors. It's a lot of fun. Of all the ECRR skills and practices, talking and print motiv...more
Identity is an important theme. When it's hard to tell even who you really are like the main character of this wonderful novel. It's another one of those books that really touch home for a majority of people, especially the teenage population.
Sometimes people will demand things of us, and we just will want to be able to fit in, and all we can do is change for them. But when we are able to discover who we really are and what color our personality really is - that's when we truly are ourselves. T...more
Sometimes people will demand things of us, and we just will want to be able to fit in, and all we can do is change for them. But when we are able to discover who we really are and what color our personality really is - that's when we truly are ourselves. T...more
Introduced with a summary of color changes and how it hunts, Chameleon's not so exciting life changes with a zoo visit. Chameleon wants to be like the other animals. With each of his wishes, he ends up with more and more features of creatures. He doesn't realize this is not the best of ideas until he cannot catch a fly when it comes by.
And older book with a similar theme in a longer story is Bill Peet's Whingdingdilly, my favorite picture book for years. Children will love the pictures of these...more
And older book with a similar theme in a longer story is Bill Peet's Whingdingdilly, my favorite picture book for years. Children will love the pictures of these...more
When a chameleon goes to the zoo and sees all the wonderful animals, he suddenly thinks his life is not so interesting. He wishes to be a flamingo, an elephant, a deer, a fish...He is very mixed up (with playful illustrations to match)! At the end of the day, he is tired and hungry but he cannot catch a fly. He makes one last wish – to be himself. And he catches the fly. This book reminds readers that although it may seem great to be something or someone else, you are really at your best when yo...more
Feb 19, 2012
Emily
added it
This book is very interesting, its about a little Chameleon who does is bored of his lifestyle so he uses his ability to change skin color to become something different. Eric Carle uses real life examples and puts it into his story because the little chameleon is bored of who he is so he uses his ability to change to become something different. This book is a perfect example of someone wanting to be different then realizing that they are the best at being who they are. A very cute book! :)
My mom recently bought this book along with the stuffed chameleon for my son. I loved this book as a child and loved it all over again as an adult!
Eric Carle uses his fun, bright, and colorful art to tell a charming and memorable story to children. Several concepts can be learned from this book including colors, animal identification and their characteristics, and being happy with who you are and what you have to offer.
Wonderful read aloud! One of my favorites!
Eric Carle uses his fun, bright, and colorful art to tell a charming and memorable story to children. Several concepts can be learned from this book including colors, animal identification and their characteristics, and being happy with who you are and what you have to offer.
Wonderful read aloud! One of my favorites!
The Mixed-up Chameleon
Eric Carle
Grade: 1
Content:
> The characteristics of a chameleon
In 1st grade students begin to discuss the characteristics of living things. Teachers can use this book to discuss the characteristics of a chameleon. Throughout the book the chameleon decides to change parts of himself into different animals. As the teacher reads he/she can discuss the different characteristics of the other animals that the chameleon encounters in the book.
Eric Carle
Grade: 1
Content:
> The characteristics of a chameleon
In 1st grade students begin to discuss the characteristics of living things. Teachers can use this book to discuss the characteristics of a chameleon. Throughout the book the chameleon decides to change parts of himself into different animals. As the teacher reads he/she can discuss the different characteristics of the other animals that the chameleon encounters in the book.
This book can be used to introduce students to different animals in the younger grades, such as Pre-K through 2nd grade. This book could be used with the older grades by having them classify the animals the chameleon meets.
This book can be used to teach students to be proud of who they are.
This can be used with sequencing, by having students put the animals in order of which ones the chameleon wanted to be like first, second, .... last.
This book can be used to teach students to be proud of who they are.
This can be used with sequencing, by having students put the animals in order of which ones the chameleon wanted to be like first, second, .... last.
This is about a chameleon who changed colors according to his surroundings. It turned green when it ate, when it was cold and hungry it turned grey. He saw the zoo and wish he was as big as a bear, but he did not like the zoo. He wished he was all the animals in the zoo which he became but he was all mixed up.He finally saw a fly and wanted to catch it but he could not fly. he wished he could fly and he did and he caught the fly.
This book is silly and fun to read. As the chameleon discovers the animals he becomes less and less like himself, which in the end, the chameleon figures out it is important to be yourself. The pages of this book also have a unique function of showing the reader all of the animals the chameleon has run into, as well as a corresponding color. This book would be a great book to introduce animal and color names to children.
This book is for anyone from 1 to 100! It is the best. I like how you see different colors and also you will notice that it has a vibrant, colorful, cover which makes you know that it will be epic. But, an easter egg is if you stare at the dot in the middle of the page you will see the right color. This book is just plain depressing. They should make this into a movie narrerated by Morgan Freeman.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is an adorable book about a chameeleon who cannot make up his mind about what he wants to be. It is great to use in a lesson teaching children the importance of being themself. The chameleon tries out many different animals but finds out he is best just being himself. It also teaches about chameleos and how they can change. Eric Carle is great and the pictures are awesome.
Grade: Kindergarten
Chameleons are such interesting animals. This book talks about the colors and changes a chameleon goes through when it reaches different environment. It also talks about its difficulties of adapting to the environment because it wants to be different things, but in the end it learns how to appreciate itself for its great feature.
Chameleons are such interesting animals. This book talks about the colors and changes a chameleon goes through when it reaches different environment. It also talks about its difficulties of adapting to the environment because it wants to be different things, but in the end it learns how to appreciate itself for its great feature.
Carle does it again! This book shows us a very confused chameleon who wants to be more than he is. He goes to the zoo to observe the other animals, and he gets so excited about the creatures around him that his body gets all mixed-up. Carle's text is excellent because of its education on colors and animals as well as its humor. Highly recommended.
A great book, with a moral and deep meaning. A book that helps children to understand the importance of loving who they are as an individual. The book shows the chameleon through the story wanted to be like other animals with other traits. He ends up being mixed up with different traits and body parts and realizes he wants to be himself again.
Students will enjoy the abstract pictures and the odd coloring of the illustrations. This a wonderful book to encourage students to be themselves. Just as Chameleon discovered it is not always better be be like someone else, students can make the connection that being themselves is better than wishing they were like someone else.
Sweet story of a chameleon who does not like changing colors, he admires all of the other animals in the zoo, and wishes to be like them.
Can be used to teach:
acceptance
collages
research various animals, including chameleons
vocabulary
prediction
setting/theme
comprehension
attributes
create class book
Can be used to teach:
acceptance
collages
research various animals, including chameleons
vocabulary
prediction
setting/theme
comprehension
attributes
create class book
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Eric Carle (born June 25, 1929) is a children's book author and illustrator, most famous for his book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which has been translated into over 30 languages. Since The Very Hungry Caterpillar was published in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote, and more than 71 million copies of his books have sold around...more
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Apr 22, 2012 06:02pm