All the camels are worried when a baby camel is born among them without a hump. The adult camels try unsuccessfully to fix this problem. Surprising events lead to a happy ending to this gentle story where children expand perceptions of the differently gifted among all of us.
Primary (ages 6-9)
Material appropriate for primary age groups
Arabian Nights
A retelling of three tales from the “Arabian Nights” including “Aladdin,” “The Queen of the Serpents,” and “The Lost city of Ubar.”
Pea Boy and Other Stories from Iran
Retells folktales and fables from Iran, including the story of a mouse and a cockroach who fell in love, a foolish weaver’s apprentice, and a boy with the head of a chickpea.
Clever Ali
When seven-year-old Ali’s greedy pet steals cherries from the wicked Sultan for whom his father keeps carrier pigeons, Ali is given three days to find 600 new cherries or his father will be thrown into the deep, dark oubliette. Includes facts about carrier pigeons and the sultan on whom this story is based, as well as an excerpt from “In Praise of Books” by al-Jahiz.
Magid Fasts for Ramadan
It is the first day of Ramadan, the month when Muslims don’t eat and drink anything all day from sunrise to sunset. Magid’s parents have told him that he is not old enough to fast during the Ramadan, but Magid does not want to wait. Set in present-day Cairo, Egypt.
How The Fisherman Tricked The Genie
After releasing a captive genie from a bottle, a poor fisherman must rely on his wits when instead of wishes the genie promises revenge.
The Monkey Bridge
A human king learns wisdom and compassion from a monkey king willing to make a great sacrifice for the good of his subjects.
The Tiger And The Brahmin
A Brahmin deceived by a hungry tiger is saved by a lowly jackal and encounters a lesson he has never found in his holy books.
Tiger Trek
Grandma Chickenlegs
In this variation of the traditional Baba Yaga story, a young girl must rely on the advice of her dead mother and her special doll when her wicked stepmother sends her to get a needle from Grandma Chickenlegs.
