Azad's Camel

K-Gr 3—Just outside a city somewhere in Arabia, an orphan boy innocently displays his balancing skill to his friends. As it happens, a wealthy sheikh sees Azad and arranges with his uncle to have the boy trained as a camel rider. Azad is taken to a camp in the desert where he works with many other children. Camel racing is frightening, and although he hates it, Azad is good at it and is forced to race often. A glimmer of hope appears one night when Asfur, his camel, speaks to him and suggests a plan to make their next race the last. They don't stop at the finish line, but run until they find themselves alone in the desert. The next morning, some Bedouins discover them and offer them a safe home. Rendered in watercolor and ink, the illustrations aptly depict the action, but the text lacks a readable flow and believable dialogue. A note about camel racing provides information about child smuggling and this dangerous sport, making this book a serviceable title about an important and underexposed topic.—Heather Acerro, Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN