Jamal's Journey

February 27, 2017
In a lightly suspenseful story, Foreman (The Tortoise and the Soldier) follows a Bedouin caravan across the desert, as a young camel named Jamal struggles to keep up. When a sandstorm strikes, Jamal is separated from his mama and baba, as well as the human and falcon members of the caravan. After a brief encounter with some desert animals, including a jerboa and hare, Jamal spies a falcon from the convoy, which swoops in to guide him back to the group. Foreman’s pencil-and-watercolor images readily convey the desert’s vastness through sweeping expanses of golden sand and pale skies that deepen to a rich blue as night falls; the imposing skyline of Dubai looms in the distance, and the caravan eventually reaches a bustling and vivid marketplace on the city’s outskirts. “Jamal had never been in a city before,” writes Foreman. “It is so busy, so noisy—the market, the boats, the sea. So exciting!” Children should find it easy to identify with Jamal’s frustrations at his limitations, fears upon getting lost, and relief and excited curiosity once his journey is back on track. Ages 4–9.

February 1, 2017
A young camel is lost in a sandstorm then finds his way to his owners.Foreman's straightforward text and soft double-page spreads with the look of watercolor and pencil take readers directly into his tale: "Walk, walk, walk. That's what camels do." Jamal, a "little camel," admires his parents' long legs and envies the falcons, who either ride or travel on their own strong wings. Still, Jamal seems cheerful enough until a sandstorm suddenly erupts. By the time it passes, night has come, and he is alone. Jamal encounters several animals the following day, but none offers help. When he spots a falcon circling above, Jamal follows. Soon he spies the modern city of Dubai--and the group of travelers moving toward it. Rather than ending with the reunion of Jamal, his parents, and their Bedouin owners (including a jubilant little boy), Foreman carries his tale and the travelers into the bustling marketplace--as well as a briefly imagined future. Brightly colored textiles and the varying shapes of other wares provide a pleasing contrast to the relatively barren, though beautifully depicted, desert that dominates the previous pictures. Wide eyes and expressive faces on the various animals also help to add a little interest. Adults will likely appreciate this low-key introduction to a far-off place, but young listeners may not find quite enough action or context to make the trip worthwhile. (Picture book. 4-8)

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April 1, 2017
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. VERDICT An additional purchase for group sharing.-Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2017
Preschool-G Jamal is a young camel walk, walk, walking through the desert. It's hard! His parents have long legs, and the short-legged humans mostly ride. Jamal's journey takes a turn for the worse when the sand kicks up and he becomes lost. A jerboa, a hare, and a lizard aren't much help, but a falcon leads him back to the caravan and his young owner. With the camel-riding figures on the cover in traditional desert clothing, readers might think this story is set in the past. But close observers will see a modern city in the distance, and the book's last spreads feature this busy, noisy place near the sea, with boats and bazaars and something new at every turn. In his author's note, Foreman says he's referencing Dubai with both its glass towers and roots in Bedouin culture. To illustrate, he uses ink and watercolor, capturing the oceans of sand and the seemingly unending expanse of blue skies, as well as the bright liveliness of the city. Touches of folktale blend well with this take on traditional and modern life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)