Additional information
by Elizabeth Engel (Illustrator), Ellen L. Buikema (Author)
The Chameleon' vacation is off to a bumpy start. Frankie, the family fish, causes trouble on the plane. Papa gets lost driving in the mountains looking for Mystery Lake, where Frankie is sure mermaids lurk.When the family returns home, Charlie's old friend, Tamika Turtle, visits him to attend a soccer game and meets his new friends. Charlie hopes his friends will accept her, never expecting what actually happens.These multicultural stories are intended for second and third grade students as well as advanced first graders to read independently. Children ages three through ten will enjoy the antics of the characters in the Charlie books. To the author's surprise, these books are being enjoyed by a wider audience than expected.Reading the series helps children develop empathy and cultivate insight into their lives. The stories cover situations children typically encounter like getting lost, moving, starting a new school, making friends, family vacations, working in a team, and dealing with bullies using a positive method.Each chapter ends with one or more activities for children and parents or teachers to do together, related to the actions in the stories.
Author Biography
Ellen Buikema is a parent, writer, speaker and educator. She received a M.Ed. specializing in Early Childhood from the University of Illinois in Chicago and has extensive post-graduate work in special education from Northeastern Illinois University. She writes adult nonfiction and fiction for children, sprinkling humor everywhere possible. Ellen is the author of The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon series and Parenting . . . A Work in Progress. She has begun research for a Young Adult historical fiction.
