The Camel Library: A True Story from Pakistan

K-Gr 3–With his livelihood threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic, a firewood seller in rural Pakistan repurposes his pack animal as a mobile library and pivots from delivering wood to delivering books. In first-person narration from the fictionalized perspective of Roshan the camel, readers learn the true story of this camel library, which connected communities and kept them supplied with books amid school and library closures. Roshan’s naivete adds humor and creates an authentically childlike voice that engages young readers and makes it easy to follow the narrative. A few words may be unfamiliar to Western readers, but their meanings are easily understood through contextual clues. Anain Shaikh’s digital illustrations show the contrast between Roshan’s “dull and dreary” life before the pandemic and the joyful exuberance he helped to foster in the communities he served. Sharp-eyed readers may spot a few favorite books among the collection displayed on Roshan’s back. Back matter includes fun facts about camels and photographs of the real camel and his human who inspired the story.