Short for Chameleon

by Vicki Grant

Embarrassed by your brother? Estranged from your uncle? Then you might need some help from Almost Family Surrogate Agency. Cam Redden and his dad are rent-a-relatives, available for hire to anyone looking to upgrade.

Cam’s job is all about being whoever other people want him to be. Then two new clients come along. Albertina is an old lady with a big mouth, a bigger wig and a serious mission. Raylene is a beautiful girl with a nose ring, a wonky eye and a painful secret. Now to get to the bottom of the tragic mysteries that fuel them both, Cam may finally have to be himself.

Genres: Young Adult, Canada, Contemporary, Middle Grade, Mystery, Fiction, Friendship

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2017

About the author

After a long and messy adolescence, Vicki Grant stumbled into writing. She worked her way up from 30-second ads to 30-minute television scripts to full-length novels. She's written sixteen young adult, middle-grade and high-low novels. Her most recent YA novel, 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You, has been published worldwide in over twenty territories.. Vicki lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2006): Quid Pro Quo
Red Maple Award: Not Suitable For Family Viewing
CBC Young Canada Reads: The Puppet Wrangler.

Reviews

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 stars. 2018 Red Maple nom. Pretty fast read. Amusing rent-a-relative setup and a nice guy main character. Darker story elements brought in by an elderly, brash and driven woman and a mysterious, young woman.

[Catie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short for Chameleon was a really well done book, perfect for the transitioning stage where someone is just too old for young readers fiction, but isn’t ready for the mushy love stories that abound in teen fiction. The characters were realistic - I really dig books in which the characters are three dimensional in such a way that it’s not cliched. Like, in a lot of books it will be like the main character is written as perfect and then some flaws are added to make them more realistic. In Short for Chameleon, Cam, the main character, wasn’t written like that at all. When you first get introduced to him, he’s pretending to be sad at a funeral and you don’t understand why you like him but you just sort of do. I think that it has something to do with the author’s voice - she has a way of writing that’s very matter of fact and funny at the same time. I also really liked Rayleen, and though it did seem at first that she was just a love interest, she is actually really sweet and also adventurous too.

However, while Short for Chameleon was a fun, lighthearted novel, one thing that I missed was the emotional connection to the characters. For example, when Albertina dies, I wasn’t really sad - I just wasn’t really connected enough to her . I’m normally a very emotional reader, and I cry really easily while reading, but I just wasn’t connected enough to the characters.
A summary:
Reread value: 8/10 (It’s a novel I will come back to, but it’s just kind of short)
Unique points: 9/10 (Totally cool pretense - Almost Family!)
Positive Examples: 7/10 (Nice characters, but Rayleen is kind of terrible to Cam sometimes. However, overall theme of catching real life bad guys is cool)
Diversity: 4/10 (No LGBT characters, no POC main characters)
Character Believability: 10/10

Solid book!! The missed emotional connection isn’t really a big deal - would recommend to 10 - 12 year olds.

[Sarah Emsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Vicki's books. Cam's voice in Short for Chameleon is priceless. "I just had to hope my inner beauty would be enough for her," he says, after he gives up on dressing to impress the girl he likes. (He's accustomed to pretending -- he works with his father in the bizarre and hilarious "rent-a-relative" business, and since he's not as good at acting as his father is, Cam fears being found out.) Just as she does in her other novels, such as Betsy Wickwire's Dirty Secret or Small Bones, Vicki shows sympathy and understanding, as well as a great sense of humour, as she captures the insecurities of her teenage heroes and heroines. An entertaining and enjoyable book. I'm excited to read her next novel, 36 Questions that Changed My Mind About You.

[Adrienne B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am pleasantly surprised at how much I liked Short For Chameleon and how hilarious it is at times. Vicki Grant keeps the story short and sweet and adds just the right amount of quirkiness to each character. The main character Cam works for his Father's business "Almost Family Surrogate Agency". The business employs people to pretend to be relatives of clients who are willing to pay to have fake relatives for social obligations. As a result, Cam is constantly finding himself in unusual situations. I think teens and young adults would find this novel engaging, funny and entertaining. I only hope that there is more to come from Cam and his new friend Raylene.

I also want to thank GoodReads, Vicki Grant and the publisher HarperTrophyCanada for a free copy of this book.

[Leslie Gotfrit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and I'm long past YA territory. Vicki Grant created believable, sympathetic and highly entertaining characters that hooked me instantly. The whole premise which I will not divulge is a hoot. I wish Ms Grant had been writing her witty, smart, and out of the ordinary teen books when I was one. There are no stereotypes of teens here--these are real lovable kids who actually have adults in their lives!! Give it to a teen who you love and read it yourself!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to be Albertina when I grow up.

This was a highly enjoyable read full of memorable characters.

(I received a free copy of this book through a giveaway on Goodreads)

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Vicki Grant's "Short for Chameleon" compliments of Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway and appreciated the opportunity.

A fictional story that surrounds the premise of hiring a "rent-a-family member" for every and all occasions. Cam and his Dad earn a modest living being anyone that you want them to be. Need a son, husband, nephew, cousin, Uncle- they have it covered. Each role they play creates an opportunity to meet some interesting real life characters. This includes Albertina, an eccentric granny on a senior-saving mission and Raylene, a risk taking, yet immensely private teen who is seeking to rent a brother. Cam develops a confusing crush on Raylene and a strange liking for Albertina, wishing he could figure each of them out. The plot follows the mystery of human behaviors along a humorous adventure.

This fast paced comedy is geared for a tween audience and yet as an adult I found myself laughing aloud to all of the subtle sarcasm and wit. It is chalked full of likeable characters who quirks add to the overall enjoyment. 4/5 recommended stars for tweens, teens and adults alike

[Daniel Grenier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je lis pas assez de Young Adult fiction. C'est vraiment le fun. Le roman de Grant m'a rappelé par moments le plaisir que je ressentais à découvrir les aventures des orphelins Baudelaires. On s'entend, c'est pas aussi malade que du Lemony Snicket, mais ça fait la job pour le côté mystérieux, les révélations étonnantes et le rythme up tempo. Un peu hétéronormatif, mais c'est pas nécessairement un défaut, je fais juste m'en rendre compte.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another Red Maple nominated book. I enjoyed it. It was an interesting premise but I didn't love the ending.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought this was great! Enjoyed catching the local Halifax references, and I loved the narrator’s POV.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and enjoyed it. It's a Young Adult book about a teen, Cameron, who, along with his father have themselves rented out as spare "relatives" for various functions such as weddings and funerals. It's not a con, they get a proper hourly rate, and they aren't in it to scam anyone. It's just an acting job. But when an old woman, Albertina gets her claws into Cameron and a young woman, the enigmatic Raylene, gets involved as well, things get a little crazy and Cameron gets caught up in schemes and adventures.

Cam spends most of his time pretending to be someone else. Raylene has something she's trying to get her head around and seems to blow hot and cold. Albertina is on a mission and ropes the teens in to help her. It's a bit of a romp with poor Cam trying to figure out what everyone expects of him.

It was good fun, with characters that are believable and quirky. I really enjoyed the added bonus that it was set in my own city of Halifax, where the author lives so some of the places and streets named were actual ones. I could picture everything so clearly!

[Heather Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story. It's premise of rent-a-relative is totally unique and opens up the plot to all sorts of antics. Honestly, haven't we all wished we could do that at times in our lives, rent a relative to replace one that we were less then enamoured with.

It is also filled with quirky characters starting with the ever adaptable dad, Will Redden. With no acting jobs at hand, he started the Almost Family Surrogate Agency. Once Albertina, the feisty senior, encountered Will, she took over every scene and commanded my attention. How could I not love her, with her over the top hair, make-up and personality. I can easily imagine her righting wrongs sort of like a Superhero for those who've been taken advantage of.

Cam Redden is a most remarkable young man. He's spent his life playing one role after another. A son for one client and then a grandson for the next. When he meets Raylene, he finally has to figure out how to be himself. With all the experience has had reading people, she is the one person he can not understand.

Together, Cam, Albertina and Raylene make a formidable team. They almost seem like the family none of them has.

Short for Chameleon is a fun story that will have you eagerly flipping pages to find out what happens next but at the same time wishing that that the story wouldn't end. This is the first book that I have read by author Vicki Grant and it won't be my last.

#IndigoEmployee

[Isabelle Li · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Short for Chameleon by Vicki Grant was actually pretty good. After reading the synopsis at the back, and the first quarter of the story, I didn’t really enjoy this book. There was nothing particularly special about the plot that set it apart from others, and the events were, well, random and not very well thought out, in my opinion. The first-person narration wasn’t that great, either. However, when I continued reading, the storyline took an extremely unpredictable turn, making this book suddenly much more interesting to read. I liked how the characters in this book were all part of dysfunctional, imperfect families, but they didn’t let that drawback get the best of them. One thing I would change about this book is to add more action. I expected the events to contain more of this, but they didn't deliver.
I have a theory that Cam and his father joining the Almost Family Surrogate Agency wasn’t predominately compelled by the need to help people, or even to earn money, which they thought they were trying to do. I believe that the chief reason, even if they didn't realize it, was for themselves. They wanted to look for a perfect family of their own that they never had.

[Slow Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Proving the creativity of middle grade authors once again. This book is a fun, short read. The author manages to stuff many mysteries into the span of 242 pages, without it being too overwhelming, and dropping enough clues to keep readers on their toes. Cam, his father, Raylene ,Albertina and Suraj are all fun characters. The writing is often very witty but there are darker and more mature themes sprinkled throughout the book.
The romance between the two mains is also very sweet. My only complaints are that the book ends far too abruptly, wrapping up some elements but not others and some charcter dynamics( Cam and his father, Cam and Suraj) could have been finalized a little better.

For anyone who has read Rebecca Steads, When you Recah me and Liar and Spy, this book might be for you. For anyone who enjoyed this book but has not read Steads books, I recommend those.

[Dylan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short for Chameleon was a surprisingly funny and engaging novel that made me laugh, made me smile, and - perhaps best (or worst) of all - reminded me of what it was like to be a teenager.

The characters feel alive and the situations they find themselves in are so strange as to fit into the category of "there's no way this author made this up; these situations were inspired by real life." My only complaint might be that the characters felt too rigidly alive - that they were made to feel alive by an attempt to make them feel alive: they are unique and original insomuch as they are imbued with quirks that make them distinctly so.

This minor defect, however, is hardly worth note given the book's good sense of humour, relatability, and its deftly-paced plot.

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cam and his Dad run a Rent-a-Relative business and have a habit of pretending to be other people with a closet full of disguises. Cam meets Raylene who wants to hire a brother and he is instantly in love. They begin to help Albertina, a wildly eccentric older woman, in her bizarre quests that require possible criminal activity.
This is superbly written with laugh out loud moments similar in style to Susan Juby or Susin Nielsen. There are several plot twists that the reader never sees coming that add drama and excitement to the story. It is a novel you will not be able to put down. Highly recommended for teens!

[Shakeel Jivraj · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cam Redden has an abnormal life. Cam and his dad own "Family Surrogate Agency" a rent-a-relative business. Usually, Cam must be who his clients want him to be. However, when he meets two new clients, Albertina and Raylene, Cam realizes he must work with them and be himself to solve an unfathomable mystery.
Although I enjoyed Grant's dry sense of humour, "Short For Chameleon" is not an adrenaline-filled story. There is not a dramatic climax and the plot is slow-moving and fragmented. Overall, I would not recommend this underwhelming story. You will not enjoy it from beginning to end.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rent-a-relative crossed with a detective agency will get you Short for Chameleon. A charming, fast-paced, (mostly) realistic fiction novel, Short for Chameleon incorporates some cute moments and some unexpected plot twists. Cam and his dad lead an usual life, but things get even more odd when Cam meets Albertina, an eccentric older lady who wants their assistance on secret missions, and Raylene, a beautiful young girl who Cam wants to get to know even better.

Short-listed for the 2019 MYRCA Northern Lights.

3.5/5 stars

[Mrs. Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book quite delightful and humorous. The subtext is a father and son rent a family which is a novel idea of course encounter vigilante (well perhaps that's a strong word) grandmother who wants to defend the rights of vulnerable people even if death is on the line. While the story revolves around Cam the real heroine is Albertina. Given that my grandmother's name was Alberta how could I not love her.

[Little Myr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super funny and cute! The ending wasnt really satisfying to me, but otherwise I loved this book. At first thought it might be for a younger audience, but I think kids and adults will actually find it equally entertaining. The characters are dorky but also funny in a real life way, and I loved that! Reminded me of people I actually knew in high school (and maybe a bit of myself too)

[Ella J · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was really good. I really enjoyed how we were kept in the dark about Raylene the whole time. One thing that I didn't like was how in the end some things didn't really get cleared up. for example, what happened to janie, and wane, and a whole lot of other people. Overall this is one of my favourite red maple books so far.

[Sandy L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting relationship shared by Cam and Raylene. As I read on I found out more about Raylene and her background. After I understood more about her background I get the need to bolt when Cam asks about her family. It's an uncomfortable topic for her. Overall a pretty decent book and it gets better as you read on.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the nominations for this year's Red Maple Award. A story that started out with strange and hilarious events and even stranger characters turns into a heart warming story about overcoming tragedy and learning that it's best to be yourself. A little mystery, a little action and a lot of very funny moments. Can't wait to hear what my students think of this one.

[Mrs. Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was cute and funny. The scenarios were ridiculous but intentionally so and I liked that. Despite the obvious fictiony premise the characters especially the elderly lady felt real. Scams I imagine are a difficult topic to approach with humour but this book did a decent job of it's lighthearted spin.

[Carly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. I added this book to my TBR list after seeing it in the Toronto Star. Sadly, it did not live up to the hype of the article. The book fell flat and I ended up skimming the last 20 pages just so I could finish it. But, at least I finished it.

[Carol Lance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rent a relative.....

That is the job Cam and his dad do. Funerals, baptism or anything else you might need a family and don't have one.

This was a cute story with interesting characters throughout.

There is humor, crime solving and a little bit of romance thrown in.

[Jia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was it just me or was someone else expecting Albertina to come back and be like "YOU THOUGHT I WAS DEAD, YOU FOOLS", would have made a good plot twist. Overall a ok book, definitely not one of my favourites, just one I happen to have at home.

[Radha TheLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was light hearted and fun. The characters were bold and colourful and the bizarreness of the premise made it that much more interesting. Good for younger teens.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

funny, endearing--entertaining but nothing too earth-shaking.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok