Colors of Love and Loss

Grief expert Joanne Cacciatore tells the story of Carter, a guitar-playing chameleon who changes colors according to his feelings. When confronted by the death of his sister Claire, he discovers new and painful colors. Carter and his family find healing in honoring and remembering Claire.Teaching children how to navigate grief and loss through the metaphor of colors representing feelings, The Colors of Love and Loss offers an interactive guide for families to find healing. The story centers on Carter, a chameleon with a talent for playing the guitar, who lives in a tree house with his parents and two sisters, Cally and Claire. As a middle child, Carter is deeply close to his family, and his early life is defined by the comforting blues and greens of nature and music. The narrative takes a somber turn when Carter’s parents share the devastating news that his younger sister, Claire, has died. Through the biology of chameleons—who change color based on mood, light, and temperature—the book introduces a powerful metaphor for the internal experience of grief. When Carter first hears the news, he sees unfamiliar colors on his grieving parents. As the family begins their long journey through loss, their colors become unpredictable and unfamiliar, reflecting the chaotic and often overwhelming nature of their emotions. The story also highlights the value of friendship and open communication. Carter finds solace in his friend Culver, who is brave enough to ask about Claire and listen quietly while Carter shares his memories. Through his interactions with Culver and his family, Carter begins to understand grief and love live together in the same chameleon heart, and eventually finds healing in keeping Claire’s memory alive. The book features "Let’s talk about it" sections that pause the story to engage the reader directly, prompting children to explore their own physical sensations of fear, share their questions about death, and identify the specific colors they might associate with feelings like anger, loneliness, or regret. Read more