The Last Straw (Hardcover)

by Fredrick Thury (Author), Vlasta van Kampen (Illustrator) "Hoshmakaka, the old camel, was asleep in the desert night..." (more)
Key Phrases: ten horses

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Hoshmakaka, an old, foolish, and proud camel, is chosen to carry the wise men's gifts to the baby Jesus. Reluctantly, he agrees and boasts to the younger camels that he has the strength of 10 horses. As he embarks on his journey, people along the way ask him to take their gifts. Goaded by the younger camels, he keeps adding to his load. A small child asks him to carry one last gift, a piece of straw for the baby's bed, and Hoshmakaka is brought to his knees by the weight. Jesus reaches out and touches him and "From that time on there was no burden, great or small, that Hoshmakaka would not gladly carry." The story is adapted from Thury's original libretto, performed by the Toronto Children's Chorus. Strikingly rich, detailed watercolors enrich the text. While the humbling message may be too subtly conveyed for very young children, this low-keyed and gentle story can be enjoyed by a broad audience.-M.W.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
A grumpy camel's boast comes back to haunt him in this engaging Christmas picture-book tale, adapted from a choral libretto. Despite gout, sciatica, and general surliness, old Hoshmakaka reluctantly agrees to carry the Wise Men's gifts to the baby king. But because he incautiously puffs himself up before the younger camels, he also ends up taking jugs of milk and wine, baskets of pastries, and other presents offered along the way. Vlasa van Kampen's bright, sharply detailed watercolors depict the shaggy protagonist plodding along in stately arrogance beneath a burden that grows to comically towering proportions. When a child asks him to carry a piece of straw, Hoshmakaka refuses. He relents, however, but he realizes that if he wants to finish his trek, he'd better not stop again. Entering the stable at last, the camel falls to his knees in exhaustion, whereupon a touch of the baby's hand dispels both the burden's weight and the camel's wounded pride. The text and illustrations work unusually well together to evoke the story's humorous undertone while preserving a grand sense of occasion. John Peters

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (August 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881061522
• ISBN-13: 978-0881061529
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #402,610 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Christmas Favorite, January 1, 2001

By	"booktoyou" (Marion, OH USA) - See all my reviews

A proud camel is selected to accompany the Magi described in Matthew to carry gifts for Jesus. He tries to get out of the journey (he has other commitments), but is convinced otherwise by some sand-blowing voices. As his journey continues, so does his burden, as gifts are added to his back. A young child even adds a straw for the baby's bed, that, well, I don't want to spoil the ending ("Will this straw cause me to fall?").

We used this book as the basis for our church's family Christmas Eve service. The children participated in a recreation of the Christmas stories in Matthew and Luke, and then settled in for a reading of this great book. During the story, we had two people in a camel costume come through the aisles, as "presents" were loaded onto baskets on the "camel's" back. It was a great success, and helped bring alive the oft-repeated Bible stories.

Thury has a great skill of weaving in enough adult humor to keep the attention of even the most holiday-weary parent (this camel complains of his joints, gout and sciatica, which all parents and granparents can relate to after weeks of holiday shopping, eating and "assembly-required" efforts). My seven year old has requested it again and again. Original, enchanting and a great twist on both the Christmas story and "the straw that broke the camel's back." Or did it? The pictures are outstanding.

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Story for Christmas!, November 4, 1999

By A Customer

This is such a wonderful book! Every year I look for a special book to share with my family, this year it will be The Last Straw. It is a humorous tale that also teaches a valuable lesson about humility. The Last Straw is right up there with Santa Calls and The Red Ranger Came Calling. I highly recommend this book!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best Christmas book ever, July 23, 2005

By	L. K. Stevens (Northville, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I love this book. I read it to my Sunday school class every year (preschool & kindergarteners) -- I still get teared up when the camel arrives at the manger...it is so touching and awe inspiring! The children are completely entranced by the story -- no one stirs as we read the story -- even the 3 year olds will be still with their little jaws open.

Together we wonder... will the old camel make it to the manger? Will the camel accept the little boys gift at the end of the journey?

It should be on every child's bookshelf at Christmastime. It is the spirit of the season.