CAPPY THE LONELY CAMEL

Cappy is unhappy because he is the only two-humped camel in a village of mean, teasing one-humped camels. When he hears that the baby of Nastella, the meanest camel of them all, is sick and needs a doctor who lives far away in the colder northern climate, he takes it upon himself to make the journey. Upon learning that Cappy brought the doctor who saved her baby's life, Nastella repents, begs for forgiveness, and becomes Cappy's best friend. The other camels quickly follow suit, and the book ends with tears and cheers all around. The slow, predictable story provides the essential facts about camels (further fleshed out in a note at the end) but is marred by awkward writing throughout and passages of almost overweening sentimentality. Most of the illustrations take a more lighthearted approach than the text before toppling into mawkishness in the scenes featuring the camels' tear-filled eyes. (Picture book. 6-8)