They Thought They Saw Him - Hardcover

PreSchool-Grade 2-A captivating and charming book about protective coloration. A chameleon living in the Southwest awakens from a winter nap spent in an adobe granary and begins to explore the warm delights of spring. Of course, the chameleon is not the only creature the season awakens. A hungry snake spies him on a branch and thinks about lunch. However, when the snake closes in on him, he notes with more than a little puzzlement and frustration that the chameleon is no longer is sight. In order, the feisty little creature outwits the snake, an owl, a fox, and even a curious young Apache boy through his miraculous talent for camouflage. The illustrations perfectly complement Strete's spry, witty text. Children will love the bright and bold colors splashed cheerfully across the double-page watercolor paintings that are both accurate and true to the story, as well as humorous and sly at the same time. Youngsters will chuckle at the disbelief evidenced on the face of the hungry snake when he discovers that he's been cheated out of a nice meal. The design of the book is also first-rate.?Jerry D. Flack, University of Colorado
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4-7. With their perky, ever-popular cartoon art colorfully spreading across the pages, Aruego and Dewey lightheartedly picture the specialized survival tactic of a chameleon. The small lizard first eludes a snake, then an owl and a fox and finally, a boy by changing color to blend with his surroundings. Youngsters will enjoy spying the brown, then green, or tan, or gold chameleon as he assumes the shades of a branch, leaves, sand, or rocks. They will also delight in the indignant faces of the foiled predators who lose their prey seemingly before their very eyes. This is an appealing introduction to the chameleon's defense mechanism for budding ecologists and reptile fans.
-- Ellen Mandel