Come Out, Come Out, Chameleon! - Story Snug

Come Out, Come Out, Chameleon! by Jonty Howley

Come Out, Come Out, Chameleon! is a wonderfully interactive picture book for young readers. With bold, colourful illustrations and a chameleon to spot on each page it’s a fun first reading experience.

The Story: An old man has a new chameleon. But he’s not actually seen it! He takes us around his house and garden and tells us where he thinks he may have seen it. The man gets sad at the thought of not meeting his new pet until he discovers chameleon care instructions stuck to his shoe. And the instructions tell him exactly what to do if he can’t find it…

We see the old man’s adorable dog in each page but his chameleon is much harder to spot. Luckily the pet care instructions are very clear and we love the page where they are reunited. The old man is convinced that he’ll never lose his new pet again but there’s an amusing pictorial twist at the end of the story.

The simple text is easy to read, it’s great for a beginner reader and the refrain is perfect for joining in. We love the bold colourful illustrations – they’re perfect for chameleon spotting! In some pages it’s easier to spot than others, it took us ages to find it in the garden!

Come Out, Come Out, Chameleon! is a great book to share with a group of children who will love spotting the chameleon on each page. It can also stimulate discussions about camouflage and how chameleons change colour to hide from predators.

Age Range: 3 +

Author / Illustrator: Jonty Howley

Thank you to Happy Yak and Netgalley for the review copy of this amusing picture book.


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12 responses to “Come Out, Come Out, Chameleon! by Jonty Howley”


  1. Carol avatar

    It’s a delightful idea for a story, and I like the bright illustrations. #MMBC


    1. Catherine Friess avatar

      I love the illustrations too. They’re so brilliantly bold and vibrant 🙂


  2. Kim Carberry avatar

    What a bright and cheerful looking book! It sounds like a lovely book for little ones. My girls used to love books like this when they were little. x


    1. Catherine avatar

      I love the illustrations – they’re so bold and colourful 🙂


  3. Lisa | Handmade in Israel avatar

    It sounds like a delightful book! I have such fond memories of reading with my kids. I love learning about the news books you post about here


    1. Catherine Friess avatar

      It’s really fun book! I love books when you have to find something hidden in the illustrations 🙂


  4. Jayne avatar

    What a an adorable book. I love that you can spot the chameleon throughout the story. 🦎


    1. Catherine avatar

      There are a couple of pages where it’s really hard to spot the chameleon!!


  5. Mother of 3 avatar
    Mother of 3

    That sounds SO cute!


    1. Catherine avatar

      It is absolutely adorable and so beautifully illustrated 😊


  6. Jennifer Moore avatar

    I love chameleon books and this looks like a beautiful one!


    1. Catherine avatar

      It’s so much fun to spot the chameleon 🙂