Army Camels: Texas Ships of the Desert

K-Gr 3—For those who love history's footnotes, this brief volume addresses a little-known moment in U.S. history when camels reveled in the Texas climate, transporting messages and serving as pack animals. A valuable temporary addition to the U.S. Army, they were later sold after the Civil War for only $31 each. Scenes of the 34 animals are combined with a bit of fictionalized dialogue and incidents during their introduction to a new life in Texas. As part of the U.S. Camel Experiment, the animals survived a rough crossing at sea, ate a cactus retaining fence, frightened dogs and horses, and gave a public display of their amazing strength. Mixed-media illustrations that include insert maps track the camels to their eventual Central Texas home in Camp Verde. A spread showing the animals crossing the dry grasslands evokes a desertlike image with a line of camels accentuated only by cactus and the cowboy-hat profile of one of the riders. An author's note that relates details of the camels brought to Texas in 1856 brings pre-Civil War growth and settlement of the Lone Star State to life.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX