Once Upon A Camel

Aug 30

Perfect for fans of The One and Only Ivan, this exquisite middle grade novel from Newbery Honoree and National Book Award finalist Kathi Appelt follows an old camel out to save two baby kestrel chicks during a massive storm in the Texas desert— filled with over a dozen illustrations by Caldecott winner Eric Rohmann.

Zada is a camel with a treasure trove of stories to tell. She’s won camel races for the royal Pasha of Smyrna, crossed treacherous oceans to new land, led army missions with her best camel friend by her side, and outsmarted a far too pompous mountain lion.

But those stories were from before. Now, Zada wanders the desert as the last camel in Texas. But she’s not alone. Two tiny kestrel chicks are nestled in the fluff of fur between her ears—kee-killy-keeing for their missing parents—and a dust storm the size of a mountain is taking Zada on one more grand adventure. And it could lead to this achy old camel’s most brilliant story yet.

Reviews

“…The evocative language is spellbinding as tales from Zada’s life calm the baby birds—and capture the interest of readers as well. The fledglings learn that Zada was raised by a Turkish pasha and gifted with eight other prized racing camels to the U.S. Army in 1856, ending up in Texas (events inspired by actual history). A delight to the senses, Zada’s stories are a descriptive wonder, featuring roiling dust, howling winds, fresh figs, and cool water, bolstering the emotions shown in Rohmann’s grayscale oil paintings. Readers will revel in both the vivid stories of Zada’s past and the rich vocabulary of Texas desert life. Appelt’s voice and pacing demonstrate her fine storytelling skills. Hearts will grow fond of this wise old camel; she is a bright star. Kirkus Reviews

“… author Kathi Appelt is a queen at writing animal-narrated-fantasy stories. I really think this one may be her best. I love that it featured a camel as the main character, such a different character from what we typically see. When the story first started and the haboob was coming, I really didn't understand how she was going to feature an entire story with this as the problem. I love the way she wove Zada's past history into stories that literally helped the baby kestrels stay calm and survive.” - Mrs. Knott’s Book Nook

"An unconventional ode to the beauty of found families and the power in our stories."

– Booklist STARRED Review, July 1, 2021

"Appelt’s celebration of owning one’s history proves both empowering and entertaining."

– Publisher Weekly, August 9, 2021