A Color of His Own

by Leo Lionni

Book Overview

Elephants are gray. Pigs are pink. Only the chameleon has no color of his own. He is purple like the heather, yellow like a lemon, even black and orange striped like a tiger Then one day a chameleon has an idea to remain one color forever by staying on the greenest leaf he can find. But in the autumn, the leaf changes from green to yellow to red . . . and so does the chameleon. When another chameleon suggests they travel together, he learns that companionship...

• Format: Board book
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375810919
• ISBN13: 9780375810916
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Length: 30 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.7" x 5.3"
• Age Range: 2 to 5 years

Customer Reviews

Cute book and great teaching tool!

This is a very cute book for teaching kids to recognize colors and animals. Plus, there is also a section about autumn, winter, and spring that can be helpful when teaching kids to recognize the changes that happen during the year. The illustrations make me think back to the sponge stamps I used to play with when I was little, so flipping through the pages feels very comforting to me, and I love the message about finding friends you can be yourself with!

Be yourself

A great book for kids to learn colors and to learn to be themselves - you'll find friends along the way!

Adorable book!!

I got this for my son because I had read good reviews about it. Well, it is one of the best books for children. It teaches to be yourself and love yourself. The chameleon wants to be just one color, but of course it isn't possible. In the end he makes a friend with another chameleon who teaches him to accept himself. I recommend this book for all who have children. I think too many people grow up not feeling good about themselves and this book is a good teaching tool.

Hungary Caterpillar

A Color of His Own is a wonderful beginning book for young children that teaches children colors. This book also stresses the importance of being and individual and does so in a way that young children can understand. In this book, a young chameleon searches high and low for his own color. He decides to stay on a leaf so he will be green forever. Soon, fall comes, the leaves change, and so does he. Sadly, he leaves his leaf and runs into another older and wiser chameleon. He tells the chameleon about his troubles, and the older comforts him and suggests that the two stay together. "We will still change color wherever we go," says the wiser chameleon, "but you and I will always be alike." The objects and animals in this book are presented very clearly with uncluttered illustrations. Each object or animal is clearly identified by its color on each particular page. Lionni does a great job of using clear, simple language to introduce each color. The artwork is unique and catches the attention of young children. Overall, A Color of His Own, is a great book to use to teach young children the concept of colors. Lionni's simple language and inventive style of illustrations make this book the success it is. This book serves as a great teaching tool to use with young children.

Terrific tale!

Join this charming chameleon on the road to discovery where he searches for a "color of his own." He learns to adapt to different "colored" environments while feeling left out, and along the way befriends a fellow chameleon and gains lasting companionship and happiness. This delightful board book captures babies attention with simple content and colorful illustrations, while teaching young children about feelings of belonging, friendship, compassion, and the most obvious - colors: green, red, gray, pink, yellow, and purple. This is a terrific tale! One-year and up.

A Charmeleon Look at Colors

A charming look at colors through the experience of a resourceful chameleon who tries to find his own color. The resonant blend of this fable about identity and acceptance, Leonni`s excellent sense of fun, and the simple, bold, print illustration reminds me a bit of My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss, a colorful book about feelings which we also enjoy.

A Color of His Own

As a library clerk for the past two years, I have loved this book for a long time, and it's absolutely my favorite. Aside from the fact that Lionni was a giften writer and illustrator (who will be sadly missed), I love this book because it's a story about being accepted, and learning to accept yourself. As if any of us know what color we are, literally or metaphorically. The most we can hope for is to find someone with whom we can share all our different colors.