LEON THE CHAMELEON

Watt debuts with a simple tale that is partly a celebration of physical differences and partly a lesson in color theory. Because Leon turns red when he sits on a (green) leaf, purple on (yellow) sand, and orange in (blue) water, he feels like an outsider. But this trait makes him a hero when, trailing the other young chameleons far out into the desert, he turns green under the red setting sun and so is visible from far off to the grown-up lizards coming to the rescue. Bright hues and simple shapes lend plenty of visual appeal to the illustrations, especially when the entire double-paged spread is one color (green, for instance) and Leon stands out like a sore thumb. These are the purest colors, too, strong and clear, a plus compared to what is often found in books on color. Watts explicates the ideas of primary and complementary colors next to an appended color wheel with Leon's tongue serving as a pointer. Perfect for the Little Blue and Little Yellow set, or as an alternative to Ellen Stoll Walsh's Mouse Paint (1989). (Picture book. 5-7)