Army Camels: Texas Ships of the Desert

by Doris Fisher, Julie Buckner (Illustrator)

Overview

The U.S. Army's oddest recruits: Camels! In this strange but true historical tale, 34 camels were imported to Texas to work as pack animals for the army in 1856. Many people had never seen such strange animals; they didn't believe that these smelly beasts could possibly be useful. Despite many Texans' initial doubts, the camels thrived in the state's desert and transported important military messages and supplies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455618231
Publisher:	Pelican Publishing Company, Incorporated
Publication date:	08/29/2013
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

JULIE DUPRÉ BUCKNER teaches an abstract expressionist painting class for beginners. She is a member of the Portrait Society of America and the Fellowship of Christian Portrait Artists. Buckner has illustrated several books in Pelican's Clovis Crawfish Series.

Editorial Reviews

11/01/2013
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

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