The Green-Eyed Monster and the Missing Colors

Written by Sandy Whitlow

Genre: Children’s Fiction (Ages 4-8)

Leo the chameleon was the greenest chameleon in the jungle. He had the brightest, shiniest, most perfect green scales anyone had ever seen.

And he loved them.

But one day, Leo saw his friend Bella turn blue to match the sky.

“Ooooh,” said the other chameleons. “How lovely!”

Leo frowned. He had never turned blue before. He tried, but his scales stayed green.

The next day, Finn turned yellow like the sunshine.

“Ooooh,” said the other chameleons. “So bright and cheerful!”

Leo huffed. I can be bright and cheerful too! But no matter how hard he squinted and scrunched, he stayed green.

Then, Mia turned purple like the flowers.

“Ooooh,” said the chameleons. “How beautiful!”

Leo stomped his little chameleon foot. This isn’t fair!

That night, he lay awake, green with jealousy.

“I wish I could be any color I wanted,” he grumbled.

Suddenly, POOF!

A puff of sparkling dust filled the air, and a tiny creature appeared. She had wings as shimmery as a butterfly’s and a hat made of flower petals.

“Hello, Leo!” she chirped. “I’m Trixie the Color Fairy! I heard your wish.”

Leo’s eyes widened. “You did?”

Trixie nodded. “I can grant it! But be careful—magic can be tricky.”

Before Leo could ask what she meant, she twirled her wand and—ZAP!—a rainbow swirl wrapped around him.

Leo gasped. His scales changed!

But instead of one color… they were all the colors!

Red! Blue! Yellow! Purple! Orange! Pink!

Leo grinned. “I’M AMAZING!” He ran to show his friends.

But when he got there… the other chameleons gasped!

“What happened to you, Leo?” Bella asked.

“I got all the colors!” Leo said proudly. “I’m the most colorful chameleon ever!”

Mia tilted her head. “But… you don’t match anything now.”

Leo blinked.

“Yeah,” said Finn. “We change colors to blend in.”

Leo looked around. Bella turned blue on a rock. Finn turned yellow in the tall grass. Mia turned purple in a patch of flowers.

And Leo?

Leo stood out everywhere.

Even worse—he couldn’t change back!

“Oh no!” Leo cried. “Trixie! Trixie, come back!”

POOF!

Trixie reappeared. “Uh-oh. Not a fan of the wish?”

Leo shook his head. “I just wanted to be like my friends!”

Trixie smiled. “But, Leo… you were already special just the way you were.”

Leo’s heart sank. He had spent so much time wishing to be like everyone else that he forgot what made him him!

“I do like being green,” he admitted.

Trixie clapped her hands. “Then let’s fix this!”

She twirled her wand—ZAP!—and just like that, Leo was green again!

He sighed with relief. “Thank you, Trixie.”

Trixie winked. “Remember, Leo—being yourself is the best color of all!”

Leo smiled. From that day on, he never wished to be anything but his perfect, shiny, beautiful green.

And when his friends turned blue, yellow, or purple…

He cheered the loudest.

The End.