I purchased this book because two descriptive quotes on the back cover convinced me that this story represents a needed voice to help bring greater cultural understanding to the children of the world. The story is about a Muslim boy who is unhappy because he believes his camel is sad. He addresses the problem through prayer. The outcome becomes the tale of why camels have held their heads up tall since that day. Such tales are told in every culture. The quotes that impressed me follow:
"one of the few picture books about the Muslim faith and the power of prayer in daily life. Hay's golden-hued acrylic illustrations on linen canvas capture the reverence of the story and the loving bonds between the boy, his father, and his camel against the light-filled desert and river landscape." --Booklist
"This quiet tale set...in Muslim Egypt conveys the lessons of a foreign culture and its enduring religiosity." --Publisher's Weekly
"one of the few picture books about the Muslim faith and the power of prayer in daily life. Hay's golden-hued acrylic illustrations on linen canvas capture the reverence of the story and the loving bonds between the boy, his father, and his camel against the light-filled desert and river landscape." --Booklist
"This quiet tale set...in Muslim Egypt conveys the lessons of a foreign culture and its enduring religiosity." --Publisher's Weekly
