Customer Reviews

Camel Rider

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Camel Rider which was written by Prue Mason is a multicultural book. It takes place in a dessert. The main character, Adam Aussie, is seperated from his family because of war. Adam used to live in Abudai, a large Middle Eastern city. Walid the camel boy is banished from his tribe. Adam had to live with his neighbors, but he left. Both boys wandered off into the dessert. They suddenly meet each other. Adam is Australian and Walid is from Bangladesh. Both are eleven years old. Both Walid and Adam speak different languages. Most of the time through out the book, Adam and Walid have no idea of what each other are saying. Adam and Walid don't get along well. Adam and Walid must help each other to make it back to Abudai. The only way that Adam and Walid will survive is if they can get along. The theme of Camel Rider is friendship. What I liked about this book is that its a struggle for Adam and Walid to get along. What I didn't like about this book is the ending. You must read the book to know why the ending is bad.

This is an excellent book for middle grade readers. The author has painted a brilliant picture of the Arabian Gulf area. One can feel the unforgiving heat of the desert, the desperation of two boys lost and the frustration of not being able to communicate with each other. Ms. Mason has captured the thoughts and emotions of both boys perfectly and kids will relate. There is just enough action to hold the attention of that age group and the resourcefulness and ultimate friendship will be remembered long after the book has ended. I was happy to hear there is a second book with the same characters, because I wanted to read more and I know the kids will too.

The timing is right for books like The Camel Rider to appear for children. With the hot success of books such as the Kite Runner, there is a market for books written about the Muslim culture. This multicultural book allows readers to learn about the culture in the midst of an interesting adventure story. Aussie Adam lives with his family in the Middle East on a compound in the fictional city of Abudai (sounds a lot like Dubai to me). Adam is bored of his life and longs to get away from the thumb of his overprotective parents. His only joys are his beloved dog, Tara, and the hours he gets to surf with his buddies. Walid is a young boy from the Middle East who is a camel rider, a small child trained to ride camels in races that men gamble on. His mother felt pressured to give him up so he could have a better life and a possible education, but he spends his days abused and beaten by his guardians.

The lives of these two boys intersect when bombs are dropped near the compound. Adam's parents are both away and so a family friend grabs him for an evacuation and chooses to leave the dog behind. Now Adam has to escape the car and go back to save Tara, his faithful dog. When Walid accidentally lets a camel escape, his guardians decide to drop him off in the desert tied up and left with no resources as punishment. Adam finds Walid tied up near the mouth of a cave and thinks he can show him the way home. Adam and Walid speak different languages and don't trust each other, due to negative stereotypes each of them have been taught. But in order to survive and get home, they are forced to work together.

Since they can't understand each other's language, they try to use gestures, which cause different levels of success actually getting the message across. For instance, when Adam becomes very hungry, he decides they should eat Tara's dog food. Walid is horrified for he has heard white people eat dogs. When Adam shows him the can, Walid thinks Adam is suggesting they eat a dog for food. We get to hear the thoughts of both boys and see why they are reacting the way they do. A different font is used for Adam and Walid to differentiate their thoughts. I really enjoyed the book. There was suspense, action, humor, and friendship.

I don't think the characters were developed as fully as they could be. I also think the plot was a little too predictable. But the story was still compelling. It shows that when language barriers exist, it is so easy to misinterpret what others are saying. Maybe it will encourage readers to take a second look before they jump to conclusions about people from other cultures. Both boys realize they have something to learn from each other. I would recommend this book to children in grades 4-6. The only part of the book that might cause some objections is that for some reason, Adam swears a few times.

The cover art gives an air of mystery and will attract readers.

Free copy donated by Charlesbridge Press

Camel Rider which was written by Prue Mason is a multicultural book. It takes place in a dessert. The main character, Adam Aussie, is seperated from his family because of war. Adam used to live in Abudai, a large Middle Eastern city. Walid the camel boy is banished from his tribe. Adam had to live with his neighbors, but he left. Both boys wandered off into the dessert. They suddenly meet each other. Adam is Australian and Walid is from Bangladesh. Both are eleven years old. Both Walid and Adam speak different languages. Most of the time through out the book, Adam and Walid have no idea of what each other are saying. Adam and Walid don't get along well. Adam and Walid must help each other to make it back to Abudai. The only way that Adam and Walid will survive is if they can get along. The theme of Camel Rider is friendship. What I liked about this book is that its a struggle for Adam and Walid to get along. What I didn't like about this book is the ending. You must read the book to know why the ending is bad.