Chameleon news,
This year, 2024, marks exactly 75 years since Hotze de Roos wrote the skippers of the Kameleon.
Hotze de Roos was born in 1909 in Langezwaag (Friesland). His youth was spent in the Frisian countryside, where he experienced all sorts of adventures that also reappeared in the Kameleon books.
Hotze is thus a true Frisian name, but the books simply state H. de Roos. Shortly before World War II, Hotze found work as a carpenter in Krommenie (North Holland).
At his work as a carpenter, Hotze heard many stories and jokes, which he then noted down and subsequently incorporated into his Kameleon books. The books were written in the period from 1949 until his death in 1991, totaling 60 volumes.
The books were published by Kluitman Publishers in Alkmaar and largely illustrated by Gerard van Straaten.
In 1999, a jubilee book "50 years of Kameleon" was already published, and now, in 2024, a "75-year jubilee book."
We can state with great certainty that the books have been read by millions of children and also adults.
Recently, I received an email from someone who had retired and wanted to collect and read all the books again – isn't that wonderful?
I was able to help this person quite a bit because I myself also have a large collection of Kameleon books, including all sorts of editions from the 1st to the 70th print.
In the latest book, "De Kameleon maakt het helemaal" (The Kameleon completes it all), color illustrations are also incorporated.
Should you be interested in one or more volumes, feel free to send an email.
Frank van Berlo
