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HOPPAMELEON
This whimsical story takes kids back to a time when the world was still young. Its great swamp is filled with animals of every kind. One of them is a very odd looking fellow with a very odd He doesn't know who he is. As he makes his way in the swamp, this odd looking creature discovers that he can hunt with a long, sticky tongue just like a chameleon. But he also hops, and chameleons don't hop. He decides that he must not be a chameleon. Instead, he calls himself a Hoppameleon, but he still isn't sure who or what he really is. All the other swamp creatures are puzzled by him too. The only thing he does know is that he wants to find a friend who is just like he is. Kids will love this book's gentle humor and vividly colored illustrations that evoke nature's beauty on every page. And gradually, they will be able to figure out what kind of animal the Hoppameleon really is!
32 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 1, 2024
like his eyes
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2020
Another reread. Another book I found in my closet while cleaning it out.
January 14, 2026
This is the cutest book I’ve ever read
March 16, 2018
This is a great book which I have read again and again, when teaching in school.
I love the bright and colourful illustrations.
It is great to see the story line develop as the little green frog meets more and more creatures along his way to find a friend.
As his name grows and grows it is indeed a challenge to you say it all in one breath.
I have read in Reception to Year 2 and the children love to join in as the frog moves on his journey.
It does indeed end with 'The longest name' ....
and all he wants is a friend just like him.
The end question poses a moment of thought:-
'Indeed what is his name?'
'Where did the name come from?
As I visit schools in Sussex there is often a tell tale pencil drawing left by the author on his visits.
For me the back story of the book connects with children too, giving a further moment of thought and a question too.
My family name is 'Riddick' so in our house frogs say 'Riddick, Riddick!'
The book is also signed for my two children:-
'To Tom and Elly I hop you enjoy the tale'
(My son having just returned from a world trip and of course it poses a further question.)
What should the message say?
Why did he write hop?
I love the bright and colourful illustrations.
It is great to see the story line develop as the little green frog meets more and more creatures along his way to find a friend.
As his name grows and grows it is indeed a challenge to you say it all in one breath.
I have read in Reception to Year 2 and the children love to join in as the frog moves on his journey.
It does indeed end with 'The longest name' ....
and all he wants is a friend just like him.
The end question poses a moment of thought:-
'Indeed what is his name?'
'Where did the name come from?
As I visit schools in Sussex there is often a tell tale pencil drawing left by the author on his visits.
For me the back story of the book connects with children too, giving a further moment of thought and a question too.
My family name is 'Riddick' so in our house frogs say 'Riddick, Riddick!'
The book is also signed for my two children:-
'To Tom and Elly I hop you enjoy the tale'
(My son having just returned from a world trip and of course it poses a further question.)
What should the message say?
Why did he write hop?
September 21, 2024
A little Australian frog is born but doesn't know what he is. In his search for a friend like him, he meets lots of other Australian animals that have bits like him and keeps adding bits to his name, from a chameleon, a grasshopper, turtle, parrot, lizard, and bush baby. I liked the ending, when he met another animal just like him, and the author's joke about their real name. But the best thing about the story were the wonderful, bright, gleaming close up illustrations.
February 15, 2022
It looks like this book is out of print, which is a shame. It is a really engaging book that we've been successfully using with groups of second graders - it goes over well, every time. The kids fill in the sentences as one reads "I can hunt like a ....". It's a fun read, funny interactive enough to keep a whole class engaged.
June 20, 2018
Sometimes we think that everybody else has it better than us when the real truth is that we should be happy just the way we are.
October 27, 2018
A very cute book with lovely pictures! Awesome to read aloud, and great for teaching kids about adaptations in Science class.
July 6, 2019
Beautifully Illustrated fun book!
January 25, 2024
Very cute book about finding who you are.
February 28, 2017
Oh my gosh. I really enjoyed this book!! I'm so glad that my daughter grabbed this off the shelf. It's such a fun read. The little frog becomes aware and doesn't know what he is called. He goes around meeting all sorts of animals, realizing that he is similar to all of them. Eventually, his name gets SOO long it is hard to read it aloud.
I really enjoyed the end of the book also. I thought it was really cute. So so happy that my daughter grabbed this. Highly recommend.
I really enjoyed the end of the book also. I thought it was really cute. So so happy that my daughter grabbed this. Highly recommend.
April 21, 2014
A creature in the swamp does not know what he is, so he starts to look for someone like himself. He first runs into a chameleon, who is somewhat similar with a sticky tongue, so he thinks he must be a chameleon. But then he meets a grasshopper, who can jump like he does, so he must be a hoppameleon. His name keeps getting longer and longer though as he meets other creatures who can swim like him, have big eyes like his, etc. until his name is quite the mouthful indeed. But then he meets someone who is more like him than anyone else.
A cute book for emergent readers (and quite the tongue exercise for the person reading to them). Kids should be able to predict what will happen next and guess how the hoppameleon's name will change accordingly. The pictures are bright, colorful and the animals look like they just might be able to jump out of the page.
A cute book for emergent readers (and quite the tongue exercise for the person reading to them). Kids should be able to predict what will happen next and guess how the hoppameleon's name will change accordingly. The pictures are bright, colorful and the animals look like they just might be able to jump out of the page.
August 16, 2011
What a lovable story The Hoppameleon, we will definitely be purchasing this book. Since we picked it up at our local library we have read it about 100 times and counting.
The illustrations are very cute and colourful that they just leap off the page, (no pun intended) and both my 2 1/2 year old and my 4 year old love this book.
And what's not to love when the premise of the book is a little frog looking for a friend and in the end isn't that just what we are all looking for?
The illustrations are very cute and colourful that they just leap off the page, (no pun intended) and both my 2 1/2 year old and my 4 year old love this book.
And what's not to love when the premise of the book is a little frog looking for a friend and in the end isn't that just what we are all looking for?
December 18, 2011
A ""what am I"" book. A young frog is born into a primeval swamp, and wonders what he is, while searching for a mate. He initially labels himself from those around him. Thus we get his increasingly long and funny name. Hoppameleon is just the very start of things really. Imaginative and funny to read aloud.
July 10, 2012
Great fun. When the world was young, this little creature hopped about looking for two things: a name for himself and a friend.
I see potential in this book for a copycat activity where children would follow the same pattern as the main character, identifying abilities they have that other creatures have too, and making up a wildly long name for themselves.
I see potential in this book for a copycat activity where children would follow the same pattern as the main character, identifying abilities they have that other creatures have too, and making up a wildly long name for themselves.
June 26, 2009
This is one of my favorite kid books. The pictures are vibrant and fun and the story is clever. Both of my kids have it memorized. They can recite the entire thing word for word with voice inflections and everything.
July 28, 2024
"The Hoppameleon" is a children's book about a young creature that's part grasshopper, part chameleon, and part frog. Feeling out of place among other animals, he goes on a journey to discover his true identity. It's a wonderful story about self-discovery, individuality, and acceptance.
September 30, 2008
Beautiful visuals about a frog who tries to figure out what he is. Targeted at Pre-k to 3rd
June 8, 2009
This is about the best book ever written, I loved reading it to my kids. We're all looking for a friend; just like us is nice, but not necessary.
February 17, 2010
Cute story about a little frog looking for a friend. The writing is clever and drew my son in immediately. Really enjoyed this one.
January 29, 2011
Cute story about a little frog looking for a friend. The writing is clever and drew my son in immediately. Really enjoyed this one.
August 20, 2011
Too cute. Wonderfully illustrated. Bound to make children smile.
November 9, 2013
This would have been a great book to pair with the hippo-not-amous. sigh. I just found out about it though!!! Bright pictures.
August 3, 2008
we all need somebody!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews