The Chameleon Kid--Controlling Meltdown Before He Controls You [Hardcover]

Elaine Marie Larson (Author)

Book Description

An occasional meltdown is a reality of childhood for most children as well as their parents and teachers. But for a child with ASD, meltdowns are often frequent, explosive, long-lasting events. In The Chameleon Kid, the author encourages children to control the personalized Meltdown lurking inside by evoking the adaptable abilities of the chameleon. Supported by colorful cartoon-like illustrations, Elaine Marie Larson uses short verses to present the various reactions that the bad guy Meltdown can cause, followed by advice for how the Chameleon Kid can adapt his emotions and attitudes to prevent Meltdown from taking over. In the process, readers learn various methods of self-regulating their emotion. The Chameleon Kid also explains more than a dozen idioms related to emotions, such as have a cow, take a hike, and stubborn as a mule.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Elaine Marie Larson has done it again! The Chameleon Kid is a creative and cleverly illustrated book that is sure to help children with autism spectrum disorders to better understand the intensity of their emotions. It is essential that parents and educators address emotional regulation and teach highly anxious children how to relax their bodies when overwhelmed by social and environmental stressors. This book is sure to become a favorite addition to any relaxation curriculum. --Kari Dunn Buron, author, and autism education specialist,

I love the cartoons! The pictures are great! This book helps kids understand what they can do if they feel a Meltdown coming. I also really like that it explains so many idioms. --Jordan Blackwell, 10, has written articles and presented nationally on his experiences and

The Chameleon Kid is an invaluable resource for children with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism. The book teaches the child to handle difficult situations with a positive approach. The illustrations are visually inviting to young children with autism spectrum disorders. Elaine Larson did an outstanding job creating this necessary resource for controlling The Monster. --Danielle Wendel, co-author (with Lori Ernsperger) of Girls Under the Umbrella of Autism

I love the cartoons! The pictures are great! This book helps kids understand what they can do if they feel a Meltdown coming. I also really like that it explains so many idioms. --Jordan Blackwell, 10, has written articles and presented nationally on his experiences and

The Chameleon Kid is an invaluable resource for children with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism. The book teaches the child to handle difficult situations with a positive approach. The illustrations are visually inviting to young children with autism spectrum disorders. Elaine Larson did an outstanding job creating this necessary resource for controlling The Monster. --Danielle Wendel, co-author (with Lori Ernsperger) of Girls Under the Umbrella of Autism

About the Author

Elaine Marie Larson is a former preschool, elementary and adult English-as-a-Second-Language teacher. Elaine has written a series of illustrated children s books to help her young grandson, who has Asperger Syndrome, grow in self-awareness of his many capabilities, learn to cope with his emotions and, in general, be proud of who he is. Elaine also hopes her books will help readers of all ages realize that people with Asperger Syndrome and high-functioning autism have numerous positive attributes and are similar to their peers in many ways. Elaine s other writings include a book on gravity (Up and Down), stories, poetry and essays. A lifelong resident of Minnesota, Elaine lives with her husband in the Minneapolis area. Her six grandchildren live close by and are often the inspiration for her writing.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 41 pages
• Publisher: Autism Asperger Publishing Company; illustrated edition edition (July 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934575224
• ISBN-13: 978-1934575222
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #598,621 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars its okay, March 26, 2010

By 

M. K Stover (kentucky) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Chameleon Kid--Controlling Meltdown Before He Controls You (Hardcover)

I thought this book was okay. it seemed to be hard for my son to relate to. I understood what it was trying to say, but it seemed to confuse him.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chameleon Kid Conquers Meltdown!, July 25, 2008

By 

Joanna Keating-Velasco "Joanna" (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chameleon Kid--Controlling Meltdown Before He Controls You (Hardcover)

I just received a copy of Chameleon Kid - Controlling Meltdown Before He Controls You and am in awe of the entire package! It's a hard covered book with a vibrantly-illustrated cover which is sure to catch the attention of any child...or even adults like me. The cleverly illustrated book takes "meltdown" to a new level of learning. While meltdowns and behavioral outbursts are typically beyond a child's conscious control, this book offers ways for kids to take control of meltdown by "taming the monster."

"Meltdown" is cartoonized into a cartoonish monster. The book gives young people a bookful of ways to use their own power to push this monster away to avoid the unpleasant behaviors that he can create. By making "Meltdown" visual, it helps young people see this character as something to avoid, but beyond that the book offers pages and pages of ways to do this in a fun and colorful almost comic strip book format. Each page of this 41 page high quality book offers one suggestion to avoid "Meltdown." But, on top of that, each page also offers an idiom (which can be tricky for kids on the spectrum to understand) and better defines that idiom. So, there are SO many levels of teaching and entertainment on this book, that I think it will be a favorite book in many families. Each page section also has a cartoonized large pictured child which makes the book real and not just a comic strip.

At the end of the colorful educational and fun ride through this book, Ms. Larson offers a checklist of options that can be used by a child to triumph over "Meltdown." In addition, an activity page offers suggestions of how to deal with meltdown issues that occur and how to think ahead of "Meltdown."

With the beginning of school just around the corner, this is a perfect gift for your family, the new teacher or the school library. It's a unique book tackling issues that haven't been so cleverly handled ever. It's such a gorgeous book, it will be the perfect gift. My feeling is that if you buy one copy, you'll want a second or more to give as gifts. It truly is a great piece of work for children of all ages.

Kudos to Ms Larson!

Joanna L. Keating-Velasco, Author and Independence Facilitator and Mom
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