Log Cabin Library: Blog Tour for Once Upon a Camel by Kathi Appelt , Illustrations by Eric Rohmann

Once Upon a Camel by Kathi Appelt, illustrations by Eric Rohmann
Format: Paperback ARC
Publisher:  Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Number of Pages: 336
Publishing:  September 7th, 2021
Source:  Review copy provided by Barbara Fisch from Blue Slip Media

Opening lines: "Incoming! Even in her sleep, Zada recognized that voice."

Once Upon a Camel is one of those stories that instantly grabbed my attention, maybe its having lived in Egypt and ridden on a camel myself, or probably, most likely because of that cover. The story begins in 1910 at the foothills of the Chisos Moutains in West Texas where Zada is about to visit her fine feathered friends. Suddenly, Pard and Perlita swoop in all in a tizzy over a "mountain" that is coming. A massive storm is headed directly in the path of the nest housing Pard and Perlita's two baby kesterel's. Concerned the two kesterl's are too young to be able to fly yet, Zada agrees to carry them on her head to the Mission. Just as they're making the final preparations a strong wind blows Pard and Perlita away, leaving Zada alone to take care of the two babies. Zada isn't as nimble as she once was and is more than a little concerned about getting the two chicks to safety.

Here's where the story takes a fun twist. As Zada begins her trek, the young kesterl's begin to get bored, to entertain them she tells them stories about growing up in the 1800's in Smyrna, Turkey at an elite Turkish racing stable to when she came to the United States and became a member of the US Camel Corps. The stories calm the birds and also helps to distract Zada from the many lurking dangers, like the storm that is still raging behind them and that their trek will be taking them into mountain lion territory, or Pecos de Leon's territory.

The baby kesterel's are so adorable. They're like two bickering kids in the backseat of a car on a long roadtrip. Zada was like their older sister, the calming voice throughout the storm. Zada's stories were also interesting and I enjoyed learning about the existence of the Camel Corps and how they were used to survey the routes for the railroads. A fact that I'd never heard of before, and I always appreciate learning something new. The sandstorm also reminded a lot of my time living in Egypt and the Hamseen's that would appear out of nowhere, raining down sand, swirling around making the air hazy and brown, obscuring the sun and leaving a blanket of powdery dusty sand, a layer of sand mind you on every corner of my window seals. Defiantly not something anyone would want to get caught outside in. I also enjoyed that Appelt included a helpful glossary of Turkish phrases at the back of the book. Her writing style has always appealed to me and I love how she writes these characters that draw you in. It reminded me of why I love the book Underneath by her so much. I love how the focus of Once Upon a Camel included storytelling and the importance of sharing our stories as a main focus. The illustrations by Eric Rohmann were so, so gorgeous, especially the one's of the kesterel's. Love it!! Lastly, I adore the inspiration behind Zada's name, which I'm hoping you'll check out for yourself.

**I'd especially like to thank Barbara Fisch from Blue Slip Media for the paperback ARC and inviting me to participate in the blog tour**

Photo credit: Doug Baum.

Kathi Appelt is the author of the Newbery Honoree, National Book Award Finalist, and bestselling The Underneath as well as the National Book Award Finalist for The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp. Some of her award-winning books include Maybe a Fox (with Alison McGhee), Keeper, and Max Attacks to name just a few. She lives in College Station, Texas.