Yes. This is a good idea if he's very young and this is his first reptile. They do change color, though nowhere near the extent of an old world chameleon (which would be a bad idea, btw.) If they have a bit of faith/trust in him, the leopard gecko is a good step up. Both species of lizard tame easily and neither one really produces any kind of a bite. I used to catch anoles when I was younger and tempt them into biting my earlobes or nose and just hanging there. Male anoles have a very distinctively colored neckflap, generally red or orange. I'd definitely skip the snakes and the turtles for now.
Don't let them skimp on habitat. The pet must be kept at the proper temperature. It's food will literally rot in its gut if it's too low. Too high a temp, and you stress, shorten the lifespan, and increase the chance of internal parasites. I'm sure they'll help you wherever they go, but always do a bit of research on your own. I'm always suprised at the lack of knowledge/bad advice that is given at stores that sell pets. Good luck!