AMAL THE THIRSTY GAMAL

In Schorr’s illustrated children’s book, a camel without a hump realizes that his differences make him special.

The word gamal, the narrator notes in the opening pages of this rhyming picture book, is how some people “in the East” say camel. Amal is different from other camels, because “his hump was so small, / with practically no room for water at all.” The poor creature always feels thirsty, and he’s mocked by other camels. When Amal’s first journey comes, it’s an important one: The caravan captain announces that they’ll be traveling with wise men to visit a new king. Amal is worried he won’t make it across the desert, so he prays that the caravan will find plenty of water along the way. The faithful animal is soon rewarded with an oasis—and with knowledge when one of the wise men explains that camels’ humps aren’t reservoirs full of water, despite popular belief. Amal’s flat back makes him perfect for carrying the wise men’s gift of myrrh, as it won’t spill off him; after the caravan reaches their destination, his flat back is ideal for carrying Mary and the baby to Egypt. Schorr’s rhythmic rhymes are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss’ more complex tales; the stanzas shift in rhythm, with plenty of internal rhyme, and alternating schemes are likely to keep readers on their toes. Although the science lesson about camels’ humps does explain that the humps are made of muscle and fat (not water), that explanation does undermine how the fat provides the energy that camels need to travel long distances without additional sustenance. However, the triumphant celebration of Amal’s differences is a pleasantly familiar, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer–like Christmas lesson. Koontz’s painterly full-color illustrations mix realistic images with cartoonish expressions. Amal’s small hump usually has a tuft of blue hair, but in some illustrations, it’s missing; also, Koontz’s choice to represent Mary’s husband, Joseph, as an elderly man may strike some readers as odd.

An often engaging but uneven Bible-centered tale of a special animal.