Muktar and the Camels - Janet Graber

Illustrated by Scott Mack
Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt, 2009
$16.99
32 pages
For: Kids
Rating: 3.5
Endpapers: Sky blue

Muktar is a Somalian regugee, living in an orphanage in Kenya. He misses his life as a nomad traveling with his parents and their camels. He had learned everything about caring for the camels, and he misses his old life and his family, who were killed in the wars in Somalia. One day a librarian from Garissa brings books on the backs of three camels to the orphanage. Muktar notices that one of the camels has a cut on his foot, and he repairs it. The librarian realizes that having a helper versed in camels would be a great help to him, so Muktar's fate is happily found.

You can see the texture of the canvas in the paintings. I'm thinking that Mr. Mack used pastels, the illustrations have a chalky look. A good story to share to help make kids more aware of what's happening in different parts of our world. The map of Africa at the beginning of the story is pretty cool. There's a short Author's Note at the end that gives a little more infomration about the civil war in Somalia and the camel convoy that delivers books eight times a year to schools and orphanages in the boonies of Kenya.