Jamal's Journey

PreS-Gr 2—Jamal, a young camel who is separated from his owners during a desert storm, is eventually reunited with them. Camels must "walk, walk, walk," but this is especially difficult for Jamal because his legs are so short. His journey across the desert changes from challenging to frightening, though, when he becomes lost in a sandstorm. Jamal encounters a jerboa, a monitor lizard, and a hare the following day, but fearing one another as predators, they disappear before helping the little camel. However, a falcon, "like the ones who ride on Mama and Baba," hovers before Jamal and leads him to the outskirts of "a great city" (Dubai), where his boy and caravan "[race] across the sand" to greet him. Foreman's watercolor cartoon illustrations are lovely, depicting the swirling sand of the storm and the abrupt calm of a moonlit night. The Dubai skyline, with its imposing skyscrapers and its market with colorful textiles and other wares, provides a sharp contrast to the bare desert landscape. The text contains wonderful alliteration such as "whooshing," "whirling," and "wild wind," but the story itself is somewhat predictable. Jamal's winsome face may just capture readers' hearts, though, and hold their attention throughout his temporary predicament.