The first of February marks the start of Children’s Mental Health week, ‘time to walk’ day and the official book launch of Conker the Chameleon. Hannah Peckham’s debut novel has been written for preschools, reception children and beyond, providing parents or carers an engaging way to talk about feelings and emotions.
My son and I curled up before bed one evening to follow the absolutely adorable Conker the chameleon as he explores colours and feelings. The written style of the book has a Julia Donaldson feel with an easy rhythm for the reader and subtle rhyming which always appeals to young children.
The story itself is charming and holds its own as a standalone tale to enjoy multiple times. If your kids are anything like mine then you’ll know that favourite books are read time and time again. However, the message that runs through about the importance of talking about feelings is an essential life skill.
Lockdown has been an incredibly tough year but even before that children’s mental health has been a growing issue. Learning to talk about feelings, understanding others, resolving conflict and really listening are essential life skills to develop from a young age. Conker the Chameleon is a great book to do this in a fun way.
This charming story is brought to life with beautifully vivid illustrations by Stephanie Jayne. We loved the bright colours and different expressions on the chameleons faces.
