Colorful Chameleons!

by Michelle Knudsen

Most everyone knows that chameleons change color, but not everyone knows why! In this illuminating natural science Step 2 reader, children learn fascinating facts about their scaly friends! This nonfiction title reveals that chameleons have prehensile tails, look like tiny dragons, and have color-changing contests instead of fighting!

Genres: Childrens, Nonfiction

48 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Michelle Knudsen is a New York Times best-selling author of more than 50 books for young readers and a writer of speculative short fiction for adults. Her titles include the award-winning picture book Library Lion (Time magazine's 100 Best Children's Books of All Time) and the novels The Dragon of Trelian (VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers) and Evil Librarian (YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults; Sid Fleischman Humor Award). Her most recent books are the YA webcomic novelization Cursed Princess Club: A Most Unusual Princess and the middle grade novel Into the Wild Magic, which is a finalist for the 2025 Andre Norton Nebula Award(!). A lifelong musical theater lover, Michelle is thrilled that two of her books (Library Lion and Evil Librarian) have now been made into musicals! Visit her website for more information and upcoming performance dates. Michelle lives in Brooklyn, New York. Find her on Instagram @michelle.knudsen, Bluesky @michelleknudsen.bsky.social, or at michelleknudsen.com.

Reviews

[Shannon Stinnette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a STEP into Reading book, level 2, grades 1-3. This nonfiction book informs readers that chameleons are lizards. We also learn that they change color when they become too hot or too cold. Readers learn about their eyes that move, their sticky tongues and what they like to eat! We learn about where you would find chameleons on Earth. I think children would have an interest in this book and the book would be a great addition to a unit on reptiles.

[Rose]

597.9 Knu