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.

'I am at home with camels. Where others see a dirty, filthy, smelling, kicking beast, I see a thing of pure anatomical beauty, an intelligent and graceful creature...Because of camels I have built a life I never imagined possible. And all this happened because I decided to say yes to adventure whenever it came my way.' When Sydney-born vet Alex Tinson was literally plucked from the Australian outback to become chief vet in charge of the United Arab Emirates President's racing camels, he was given one mission: to make the President's camels the best in the UAE and, indeed, all of Arabia. Thirty years later he is still there, having become the world's leading camel vet while caring for a menagerie of unusual animals along the way. But this is more than a story about camels and monkeys, spiders and snakes, and all sorts of other exotic creatures. It is also about crossing boundaries of race and religion to create a life full of possibility, of being introduced to the reclusive world of the Gulf Royal families and of sharing the rich lives of Alex's Bedouin family and friends. Warm and generous, intriguing and compelling, The Desert Vet takes us to a place few have entered before.

Learn about camels' bodies, habitat, behaviors, and more through engaging text and beautiful full-color photography in All About Camels. This book is part of our Read Together series, a collection of books designed to be enjoyed by a young reader paired with a more experienced reader, such as a parent, grandparent, or older sibling. Take turns reading out loud together. The pages on the left are meant for the younger reader and use short, simple sentences and larger print. The pages on the right are for the older reader. They contain paragraphs with longer sentences and more complex vocabulary. Build confidence and make learning fun as you find out all about camels when you Read Together!

It is amazing how a camel can survive the harsh deserts and the hottest spots in the world. The reason for this lies in the way their bodies are designed. Their humps are very important for survival. Even without food and water for many days, the fats in the humps provide for these necessities. Their facial features are also very helpful in the desert travels. Their noses can close. They have extra eyelids and long lashes. These all keep the desert sand from getting into their lungs and eyes. They have thick lips so that they are able to eat even the thorny plants in the desert. These are just some of the amazing things to know about a camel. In this book you will find many more interesting facts to add to what you already know about them. You will learn what they eat, drink, and how they survive in the desert. You will learn about their domesticated lives, what they do and how they are useful to humans. Some of the questions you might have about camels will be answered in this book. Questions like: Are camels aggressive animals? What do they do if they are threatened by humans? What is a bachelor herd? Do they have predators? What is a Bactrian camel? What is an F1 camel? Who are the camel's relatives? This book also contains more than 20 colorful photographs of the camel in its natural habitat. These photos will help you understand the life of a camel better.

Calamity, a camel...trades in her heavy packs for a colder climate and skis and soon yearns for her former life....It's a particularly easy lesson, learned without fuss or tension, depicted in Busby's cartoonish illustrations."--"Kirkus Reviews." "A camel who complains constantly about her personal comfort provides an opportunity for comic moralizing in this quirky tale....Busby's relaxed, insouciant drawings are bright and cheery, and she has a witty sense of composition."--"Publishers Weekly." ..".illustrated with light-hearted pen-and-ink and watercolor artwork, with animals trudging, mugging, and cavorting...Throughout, the facial expressions on Calamity and her friends manage to be both very camel-like and very funny."--"School Library Journal."

Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and environment of camels.

Presents the story of an Australian woman who set off to cross the outback, accompanied only by 4 camels and a dog. Photo CD contains photographs and narration. Apple CD contains an interactive program for the user to join the trip.