Camel Rider - Softcover

Mason, Prue

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1580893155 ISBN 13: 9781580893152

Publisher: Charlesbridge, 2009

Synopsis

War has broken out in the Middle East and all foreigners are fleeing. Instead of escaping with his neighbors, Adam sneaks off to save his dog, which has been left behind. Lost in the desert, Adam meets Walid, an abused camel boy who is on the run. Together they struggle to survive the elements and elude the revengeful master from whom Walid has fled. Cultural and language barriers are wide, but with ingenuity and determination the two boys bridge their differences, helping each other to survive and learn what true friendship is.

About this title

From the Author

Because I'd always wanted to be a writer, I decided that when I left school I needed to go out into the world and collect experiences, so that when I had enough I could write about them.

I traveled around Australia and then around the world. The experiences I collected were many and varied; such as learning how to cook when I worked with shearers in the outback; learning how to fly when my husband and I ferried airplanes across to Canada and back; learning to teach when I taught English as a foreign language to Arab girls. Along the way I learnt about life.

I got my chance to write while living in Dubai when I started working for a children's magazine. All my different experiences became useful. I had six columns to write―covering astronomy, astrology, science and technology, and gardening, as well as a weekly bedtime story and an advice column. There I also met an interesting old lady from Iran and helped her write her autobiography, which was later published.

My time in Dubai taught me more than how to write, though. I learnt that when people from different cultures meet, they often don't trust or respect each other, and there can be many misunderstandings that can lead to war. But after having lived and made friends with people from other nationalities, I know that no culture is better than another; we just do things differently.

I wrote the first draft of Camel Riderwhile living in Dubai. We left there in March 2001 and now we live in magical "Rowan House," which overlooks the Sunshine Coast of Queensland and where I run a writers' retreat and guesthouse.

--Prue Mason

About the Author

Prue Mason has written articles for a children's magazine in Dubai, U.A.E., and for The School Magazine in Australia. She is also a science and technology editor for a children's magazine in Australia. She lives in Queensland, Australia.

About this edition

• Publisher: Charlesbridge
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1580893155
• ISBN 13: 9781580893152
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208