How the Camel Got His Hump - Hardcover

Kipling, Rudyard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0735814821 ISBN 13: 9780735814820

Publisher: North South Books, 2001

Synopsis

When the world was new, Man needed help from all the animals, but when he received complete refusal from the camel, the rest of the animals turned to Djinn of all the Deserts to seek a proper punishment for his lazy behavior. 10,000 first printing.

About this title

About the Author

Lisbeth Zwerger has been accorded nearly every prize that can be given to an illustrator, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal. Among her books published by North-South are The Nightingale, Little Red-Cap, The Wizard of Oz, and Noah's Ark, all of them named New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books.

Reviews

Gr 2-4-Kipling's classic story of the fitting punishment dealt to the uncooperative camel is interpreted by Zwerger in a rather austere manner. Each spread has text and a few small symbols or designs on the left side and an illustration framed with white space and a few more designs on the right. While the pictures display the artist's graphic skill, they seem somewhat removed and lacking in child appeal. The lazy, humpless camel is marvelously conceited and disdainful and the dog is nicely eager, but the other animals and the Djinn are given little personality, are often quite distant, and do not really engage the eye. The Djinn, who is described as "rolling in a cloud of dust," is pictured as rolling in what looks like a large bandage or sheet. The two pages in which Kipling describes his own illustrations (of the Djinn making magic and guiding it with his fan), normally not part of the story but included after it, appear here before the camel sees his hump. This breaks up the narrative flow. Librarians in need of a single-volume version of this story will find this an acceptable purchase but those holding versions such as the one illustrated by Quentin Blake (Peter Bedrick, 1985; o.p.) can pass on it.

Louise L. Sherman, formerly at Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ages 5-8. The storytelling is great, and Zwerger's beautiful illustrations perfectly match Kipling's wry, understated tale about the lazy, imperturbable, individualist camel who refuses to work and join in. "Humph!" is all the camel will say, so in the end, the "Djinn in charge of All Deserts" does his magic and gives Camel his very own "humph" that he's brought on his very own self. The exquisitely detailed color pictures make the camel a true curmudgeon: his eyes are closed, and his body is relaxed despite the hubbub around him. Young rebels will appreciate the quiet story of the great creature who never learned how to behave. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: North South Books
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0735814821
• ISBN 13: 9780735814820
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Zwerger Lisbeth
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 24