My Librarian Is a Camel

My Librarian Is a Camel documents the unique ways libraries reach remote communities around the world. Through photographs and text, author Margriet Ruurs showcases mobile libraries that operate via boat, donkey, elephant, camel and other modes of transportation. The book features thirteen countries across multiple continents, from the biblioburro in Colombia to the elephant libraries of Thailand. Each section includes facts about the featured country and details about how library services adapt to challenging terrain and conditions. Ruurs' collection demonstrates the universal value of books and reading, while highlighting human resourcefulness and determination. The real-world examples reveal how communities overcome geographic and economic barriers to share the gift of literature.

Readers appreciate this book's look at unique mobile libraries around the world, with many teachers noting it works well for classroom discussions about global education access. Parents mention their children connect with seeing how other kids get books through boats, donkeys, and elephants. Specific praise focuses on the real photographs and firsthand accounts from librarians. Several reviewers highlighted the Australia section showing books delivered by motorcycle to remote areas. Main criticisms center on the book's length and depth - some felt it could have explored more countries or provided more details about each location featured. Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (554 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (47 reviews) School Library Journal: Starred review One teacher reviewer noted: "My students were amazed to learn about the dedication of librarians who travel through deserts and mountains to bring books to children. It opened their eyes to how libraries work in other cultures."

The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney This story shows how a young Sudanese refugee finds hope through education and writing, connecting readers to different ways children pursue learning worldwide.

Rain School by James Rumford Students in Chad build their own school each year before the rainy season, demonstrating the lengths children go to receive education around the globe.

Running the Road to ABC by Denize Lauture Children in Haiti walk miles through mountains to reach their school, revealing one of many paths to education in different cultures.

Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown A tale based on a real Colombian library program brings books to remote villages by donkey, showing creative solutions for spreading literacy.

Nasreen's Secret School by Jeanette Winter A grandmother helps her granddaughter attend a secret school in Afghanistan during Taliban rule, presenting real circumstances of education access in different societies.

🐪 In Kenya, the Camel Mobile Library brings books to nomadic communities across hundreds of miles of desert, carrying up to 500 books at a time. 📚 Author Margriet Ruurs traveled to several countries and collaborated with organizations worldwide to document unique library services, gathering photographs and stories directly from librarians. 🛵 In Thailand, books reach children in remote villages through the Book Bank's converted motorcycle-libraries, complete with built-in shelves and a covered seating area. ⛵ Norway's library boats have been sailing to isolated coastal communities since 1959, bringing books and culture to people living along the country's complex network of fjords. 🦙 In Peru's Andes Mountains, librarians use llamas to transport books to mountain villages, continuing an ancient tradition of using these animals as pack carriers while bringing modern education to remote areas.