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.