How the Camel Got His Hump - Hardcover

Kipling, Rudyard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0735814821 ISBN 13: 9780735814820

Publisher: NorthSouth, 2001

Synopsis

Once upon a time, when the world was "new-and-all," Man turned to the animals for help--to the horse for carrying, the dog for fetching, the ox for plowing. But the camel refused to do a lick of work, haughtily replying "Humpf!" to all requests. The other animals complained of the inequity to the Djinn of all the Deserts, who used his powerful magic to punish the lazy camel.
Rudyard Kipling's beloved story of how the camel got his hump is a comical tale of justice delivered that's filled with fanciful wordplay and illustrated with wit and great charm by the incomparable Lisbeth Zwerger.

About this title

About the Author

Lisbeth Zwerger is a native of Vienna, Austria who has been accorded nearly every prize that can be given to an illustrator, including the highest achievement, 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 of the Year. Noah's Ark was also named an ALA Notable Book, a Newsweek Book of the Year, and a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book.

From School Library Journal

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.

About this edition

• Publisher: NorthSouth
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0735814821
• ISBN 13: 9780735814820
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 24
• Illustrator: Zwerger Lisbeth