Pediatrician turns a color-changing chameleon into a guide for kids’ emotions

Pediatrician Dr. Kjartan Armann is using 40 years of experience to launch Huebert Shares His Feelings: The Adventure Begins, a children’s book aimed at helping kids recognize and talk about emotions. The book is designed for parents and teachers too, with a focus on emotional awareness, empathy and social skills.

Why it matters: - Emotional vocabulary and social skills are foundational for childhood development and later emotional health. - The book gives parents, teachers and children a simple way to talk about feelings that can be hard to name. - The story is meant to help children who may have had fewer chances to build interpersonal skills during the pandemic.

What happened: - Pediatrician Dr. Kjartan Armann released Huebert Shares His Feelings: The Adventure Begins, a children’s story built around emotional awareness. - The book features Huebert, a chameleon whose colors change to show what he feels. - Suzanne Pell illustrated the book. - The book is available here.

The details: - Bright yellow represents happiness, pink represents nervousness and deep blue represents sadness. - Huebert’s experiences include spending time with friends, visiting the doctor and managing uncomfortable emotions. - The story encourages children to identify Huebert’s feelings while building language for their own. - The book frames expressing emotion as a natural part of growing up. - Armann drew on 40 years in private pediatric practice for the project. - The book is intended for children and the adults who guide them. - The story is the first in a planned series focused on emotional intelligence, empathy, resilience and self-expression.

Between the lines: - The color-coded character makes abstract emotions visible, which can lower the barrier for kids who struggle to explain what they feel. - The book also reflects a broader post-pandemic concern: some children may need extra support rebuilding social confidence through everyday interaction. - The project extends Armann’s work beyond the exam room and into homes and classrooms.

What's next: - Armann plans to expand the Huebert concept into a series. - The series is expected to keep building on themes of emotional intelligence and empathy. - Review copies, interview requests and additional information are available through Dr. Kjartan Armann and BrightKey PR.