Overview

WINNER OF THE SCBWI CRYSTAL KITEWINNER OF THE WRITER'S LEAGUE OF TEXAS PICTURE BOOK AWARDThe U.S. Army's oddest recruits: Camels!In this strange but true historical tale, 34 camels were imported to Texas to work as pack animals for the army in 1856. Many people had never seen such strange animals; they didn't believe that these smelly beasts could possibly be useful. Despite many Texans' initial doubts, the camels thrived in the state's desert and transported important military messages and supplies.

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9781455618231

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K-Gr 3-For those who love history's footnotes, this brief volume addresses a little-known moment in U.S. history when camels reveled in the Texas climate, transporting messages and serving as pack animals. A valuable temporary addition to the U.S. Army, they were later sold after the Civil War for only $31 each. Scenes of the 34 animals are combined with a bit of fictionalized dialogue and incidents during their introduction to a new life in Texas. As part of the U.S. Camel Experiment, the animals survived a rough crossing at sea, ate a cactus retaining fence, frightened dogs and horses, and gave a public display of their amazing strength. Mixed-media illustrations that include insert maps track the camels to their eventual Central Texas home in Camp Verde. A spread showing the animals crossing the dry grasslands evokes a desertlike image with a line of camels accentuated only by cactus and the cowboy-hat profile of one of the riders. An author's note that relates details of the camels brought to Texas in 1856 brings pre-Civil War growth and settlement of the Lone Star State to life.--Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX-School Library Journal- (10/25/2013)

K-Gr 3-For those who love history's footnotes, this brief volume addresses a little-known moment in U.S. history when camels reveled in the Texas climate, transporting messages and serving as pack animals. A valuable temporary addition to the U.S. Army, they were later sold after the Civil War for only $31 each. Scenes of the 34 animals are combined with a bit of fictionalized dialogue and incidents during their introduction to a new life in Texas. As part of the U.S. Camel Experiment, the animals survived a rough crossing at sea, ate a cactus retaining fence, frightened dogs and horses, and gave a public display of their amazing strength. Mixed-media illustrations that include insert maps track the camels to their eventual Central Texas home in Camp Verde. A spread showing the animals crossing the dry grasslands evokes a desertlike image with a line of camels accentuated only by cactus and the cowboy-hat profile of one of the riders. An author's note that relates details of the camels brought to Texas in 1856 brings pre-Civil War growth and settlement of the Lone Star State to life.--Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX School Library Journal (10/25/2013)

Author Information

Doris Fisher is a retired kindergarten teacher working as a children's writer. She has published several children's picture books and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Spending her time creating children's activities and visiting local schools, she lives in Kingwood, Texas. A member of the Portrait Society of America, Julie Dupre Buckner received a BFA from Louisiana Tech University. She also illustrated Pelicanes Army Camels: Texas Ships of the Desert, Jubilee!, Clovis Crawfish and Echo Gecko, Clovis Crawfish and Silvie Sulphur, and Clovis Crawfish and the Twin Sister. She lives in Plaquemine, Louisiana, and teaches an abstract expressionist painting class for beginners.

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