Storytelling has been used throughout the ages to bring inner satisfaction to the storyteller and enjoyment to the listener! Once Upon a Camel begins as a huge dust storm blows across West Texas in the 1910s. A camel, left to tend to two baby chicks, battles the storm as the parent sparrow hawks are carried away with the wind. The camel, the chicks, and their blown-away parents agree to reunite at the Mission. Why, the Mission? The camel's storytelling will answer this question.

The old camel becomes known as Aunt Zada to the little birds. As one might guess, the birds begin to bicker, fuss, and cause a ruckus – giving the camel great grief! Zada comes up with an idea to tell stories to the birds! Her stories are based on her early years as a race horse in Smyra and as an immigrant to America in the 1850s. Zada’s stories help her to relax as much as to calm the chicks! Zada fondly recalls the Mission from her early years in America. Thus, this is where her storytelling and present-day journey is headed during the storm.

Appelt has researched the 1850s - 1910s period and includes a wealth of information in this story, describing this historical time and comparing the dessert life in Asia and America at this time – its symphony of sounds, its plants and animals, its geographical locations, its weather, and more! The illustrations in the book, by Eric Rohmann, give a glimpse of hope in this haboob of a storm! He brings the characters to life and portrays joy in a storm against all odds.

Take a trek with Zada and her two chicks across the rough American dessert terrain. You will feel as though the mountains surrounding the dessert are moving in on you. Think, alongside of them, how can you escape this storm. Listen to Zada’s stories of wonder, and you may come away with a wealth of your own stories! There is a lot of problem solving in the book! Readers will need to think-think-think!

Author, Kathi Appelt, encourages readers to share their stories. She says storytelling helps in a world that is crazy and full of dust!

This is a beautifully written story about a camel who saves herself and her charges, two young kestrels, through the telling of stories. It touches on the themes of family, friendship, hope, and perserverance, but at it's heart, this is a story about the importance of stories. Sharing our stories can provide encouragement and comfort, bridge gaps, and change hearts. This message is as important as it is timely, and is subtly presented by a cast of lovable characters. This book would make a wonderful family or classroom read-aloud. The lovely illustrations scattered throughout the book were an added bonus.

This book has a great cover and the story line is nice. However, I didn’t care for the switch to another story that took place in the past being interspersed with a current dangerous situation that the characters were presently in. The story is very long. I think it would be nicer as two separate books.

Oh, what an adventure this book takes you on! Zada, a camel, and her kestrel friends, Perlita and Pard with their two new baby chicks are walking one day when a dust storm comes along and changes everything. As the wall of dust comes closer, Perlita and Pard have Zada hide the chicks in her fur while Perlita and Pard get swept away with the wind. Over time Zada and the chicks hide out in an escarpment, and Zada passes the time by telling the chicks stories of her life and her best friend Asiye. Days after the wind dies down, they leave the area hoping to find Perlita and Pard. Can they find them?