The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon: Summertime

By Ellen L. Buikema

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 they return 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 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 nine will enjoy the antics of the characters in the Charlie books. The stories are being enjoyed by a wide audience.

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ellen L. Buikema
• Release date: Jun 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781945087011

Ellen L. Buikema

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents and a series of chapter books for children, The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon, with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Work In Progress, The Hobo Code, is a YA historical fiction novel, loosely based on her family history. Find her at http://ellenbuikema.com, https://www.amazon.com/Ellen-L.-Buikema-M.Ed./e/B00THGTSA6, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+, https://www.youtube.com/c/EllenLBuikema?gvnc=1 for Sock Puppet Tim videos, and https://www.itmattersradio.com for a podcast interview.

Book preview

Lost on Vacation:

The Trip to Shasta

The Chameleon family sat together at the kitchen table eating their breakfast. Frankie, Charlie’s pet fish, swam slowly in his fishbowl, which sat on top of the table.

Papa, Charlie’s summer break starts soon. Why don’t we go to Shasta? suggested Mama. I saw pictures of Shasta on the internet. What a beautiful place! If we use Flying Lizard Airways, it will only take a few hours to get to there.

Charlie with Mama, Papa, and Frankie at the kitchen table

Charlie did not want to leave Frankie with Grandma and Grandpa Chameleon. The last time Frankie caused Grandma and Grandpa a lot of trouble. Papa, do you think we can take Frankie with us? He’s never been on a plane before.

I don’t know if we should take him, Charlie, said Papa. Frankie gets carsick on long drives. Maybe he will get plane-sick, too.

Frankie will be okay, Papa. Mama picked up some drops from Doctor Vervet to keep Frankie from having motion sickness. Charlie opened the kitchen pantry and found the bottle of drops. Here it is, Papa. Can Frankie come with us? Please, please?

Well, if it’s okay with Mama, it’s okay with me. What do you think, Mama? Papa gave her a big hug.

Mama smiled. I think we should all go. It will be an adventure for all of us!

Frankie didn’t know if he wanted to go on an airplane. Are you sure I’ll be okay on the plane ride? I don’t think they’ll let me ride inside the plane. Anyway, it looks like a giant shark. It might bite me.

Frankie thinks about a Flying Tiger Plane trying to eat him

Frankie, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you. Charlie giggled.

Why are you laughing, Charlie? Getting sick isn’t funny.

"I wasn’t laughing at you, Frankie. I was thinking about the plane turning into a giant shark. That made me giggle, not you, silly."

That evening, Mama and Papa bought tickets online for the three of them with enough space for Frankie under the seat in front of Charlie. They left for Shasta three weeks later.

The Chameleon family waits in line at the airport while Frankie tells jokes

The lines at the airport were long. It was summer vacation time, and many families were traveling. The vibrations of the airplanes flying overhead made the chameleons nervous. Charlie’s family was not happy. To help, Frankie made jokes while they waited.

Why did the turtle cross the road? asked Frankie from his backpack