Book Review of The Chameleon’s True Colors
The Children’s Book Review

Written and Illustrated by Yuliya Pankratova

Ages 4-7 | 32 Pages

Publisher: Familius | ISBN-13: 978-1641704489

 What to expect: Identity, Acceptance

Once there was a little chameleon. She had no color – she was only shades of gray. But the world around her was so wondrously beautiful, she decided to borrow everyone else’s colors.

First came the morning sun. So vibrant and cheerful, the sun lit up the world. Chameleon wanted to light up the world, too, and so she borrowed yellow. Then she came across a terrifically pink orchid. It was so pretty, she wanted to borrow that, too!

Over and again, the chameleon keeps discovering new and exciting colors that she rushes to take. But when she’s done and has all the colors around her, she realizes she’s done something terrible! While she is beautiful and colorful, everything around her is gray, gray, gray.

Chameleon knows there is only one thing to do: give the colors back to their rightful owners! And in return for fixing her mistake, Chameleon is allowed to borrow all of those wonderful colors whenever she likes. Now she can pick a color whenever she likes, and the world will still keep on being colorful, too.

A charming story about being yourself, THE CHAMELEON’S TRUE COLORS is gorgeously illustrated and a treasure to explore. Author and illustrator Yuliya Pankratova brings little Chameleon to life in stunning imagery. The jungle forest teems with creatures and color, and Chameleon’s journey to find each new hue is a great lesson in admiration and acceptance. The prose is simple and peaceful, helping guide little ones to a calm state where they can talk about their own feelings, or get ready for bed or nap time.            

THE CHAMELEON’S TRUE COLORS would be an excellent addition to a child’s library, or to be read in a classroom. The book’s artistic and mesmerizing illustrations will engage even the most reluctant readers, who will find wide-eyed Chameleon incredibly charming and endearing. The art is so engaging, you won’t be surprised to find children rushing to copy and explore with color concepts like these in their own artwork. A joy to read, Pankratova’s Chameleon will become a child’s favorite creature!

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About the Author and Illustrator

Moving from Moscow to London at five years old, Yuliya Pankratova went on to graduate with degrees in English literature and illustration, getting her first job in advertising and launching her own diversity and inclusion business. Maybe that’s why belonging is such a key theme in her picture books, which she illustrates with a painterly and dynamic style. 

The Chameleon’s True Colors was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like The Chameleon’s True Colors by following our reviews and articles tagged with Artful Illustrations, Identity, and Acceptance.