Camilla Chameleon

Sylvia Pantaleo is an associate professor of education at the University
of Victoria. She is the co-author of Learning with Literature in the
Canadian Elementary Classroom.

While pregnant, Mrs. McNilly consumes great quantities of Cream of
Chameleon soup. When her daughter, Camilla, is born she has
characteristics of a chameleon. However, Camilla’s parents are
oblivious to their daughter’s uniqueness. Camilla’s camouflaging
skills assist her in circumventing her Auntie Dicky’s visits; avoiding
her father’s favourite supper of onions, liver, and fried cabbage; and
being selected to clean the hamster cage at school. Her abilities also
impress her friends as Camilla excels at hide-and-seek and can pick up a
hopscotch rock with her tongue without bending over.

When Camilla’s special talents are discovered by her teacher, Mrs.
Flaxbottom, she decides to take advantage of Camilla’s camouflaging
skills to assist children who are in the drama club and forget their
lines during performances. Then Camilla’s mother, who has been
consuming crates full of Cream of Pterodactyl soup, gives birth to
Terry. Again, her parents notice nothing unusual about their son.
However, when Mrs. McNilly craves Cream of Alligator soup ... well, you
know.

Pascale Constantin’s lively and vibrant artwork is rendered in oil.
Several of the illustrations cleverly depict Camilla morphing into the
background to camouflage with the colours. Although the story is
somewhat bizarre and the messages are didactic in nature, readers will
be entertained by Camilla and her family. Recommended.