22nd June World Camel Day

World Camel Day is  a day to celebrate and recognise the importance of camels, particularly their historical and ongoing significance in various cultures and arid environments. 

The date  was chosen as World Camel Day because 22nd June is the longest and hottest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, and camels thrive in such harsh and hostile environments.

It is not the longest day in Australia, but camels have been the backbone of Outback Australia for more than 150 years, bringing supplies, stories and resilience to some of the country’s most remote places.

2024 was the Year of the Camelid and I did a detailed blog post last year when we did a display tin the library to coincide with that. In a blog post, I did a comprehensive list of children's books about camels.

The only book we have added since is this Rachel Bright title.

The only book we have added since is this one by Rachel Bright and Jim Field.

9th December World Llama Day

In the highlands of Peru, some 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, llamas were domesticated, placing them among the oldest domestic animals in the world. The llama was their beast of burden, the source of clothing and a source of food as well as fuel. Peru is still the second largest producer of llamas in the world, but llamas are worldwide now. They are well-loved pets, therapy pets, farm animals and wool-producers.

Everyone seems to think them very photo worthy and they are popular with children, so much so that they have a starring role in many children's book series.

I have written about llama books before. See here for a list.

International Year of Camelids: Alpacas and Llamas

The alpaca is a species of South American camelid mammal. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. However, alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas. The two animals are closely related and can successfully crossbreed. Wikipedia

Alpaca Day is on 10th September, but I am putting together a display of books for the International Year of the camelid and here is a list of what will be on display in the library.

Llama Day is in December. There are more books about llamas, than alpacas. Start with a book that compares the two, such as

• Llama or Alpaca? by Jamie Rice

• A Llama is not an Alpaca by Karen Jameson and Lorna Scobie

• Macca the Alpaca by Matt Cosgrove is book 1 in a very successful series of books that the students love. Now there's

• Alpacas with Maracas

• Macca's Makeover

• Macca the Backpacker    

• Macca's Christmas Crackers

• A Stack of Alpacas

•  Alpaca Picnic Panic

•  Macca and Al, Super Pals

• Dharma the Llama

• Llamas in Pyjamas

• Dharma the Christmas Llama

Other picture books:

• This Book has Alpacas and Bears by Emma Perry and Rikin Parekh

• The Alpactory Ready Pack Go  by Ruth Chan

• Alpaca's Maracas by Lesley Sims and David Semple

• Llamas in Pyjamas by Lesley Sims and David Semple

• The Llama Drama  by Rachel Morrisoe

• Llama Drama  by Yvonne Morrison and Neroli Williams

• The Big Freeze  by Pippa Curnick

• Lana Llama  by Lori Doody

• Maria Had a Little Llama  by Angela Dominguez

• Crafty Llama  by Mike Kerr and Renata Liwska

• No Probllama!  by Rosie Greening and Kali Stileman

• Funderpants  by Rosie Greening and James Dillon

There is a series of Llama Llama books by Anna Dewdney which began with Llama Llama Red Pajama

There is a new series about Agent Llama by Angela Woolfe and Duncan Beedie

• Llama Destroys the World  by Jonathan Stutzman is book one in a three book series.

And if you can find this Peruvian legend  The Llama's Secret by Argentina Pelacious, this is  a rendition of the Great Flood story, in which a llama warns the people and animals to seek shelter on Huillcacato to avoid the rising sea.

Short chapter books:

• Harley by Star Livingstone and Molly Bang

• The Little Llama (Zoe's Rescue Zoo) by Amelia Cobb

• Llama Drama It's Showtime! (Awesome Animals) by Rose Impey

• A Llama Called Lightning  by Helen Peters

• The Nerd Herd  by Nathan Luff and Chris Kennett is a four book series where one of the main characters is a llama called Shaarma.

Non-fiction:

• Alpacas  by Michelle Hasselius

• Llamas  by Valerie Bodden

• Llamas  by Maya Myers

• Llamas  by Laura Butler

• Llamas by Katie Woolley

• How Many Llamas Does a Car Weigh? by Clara Cella

International Year of Camelids: Camels

The United Nations declared 2024 the International Year of Camelids (IYC 2024). The Year will highlight how camelids are key to the livelihoods of millions of households in hostile environments across over 90 countries, particularly Indigenous Peoples and local communities. From alpacas to Bactrian camels, dromedaries, guanacos, llamas, and vicuñas, camelids contribute to food security, nutrition and economic growth as well as holding a strong cultural and social significance for communities across the world.  This short video shows us just how important camelids are to many communities. And this video will show you which camelid is which.

We are starting next term in the library with a display of camelid books. We have enough to make a fun display complete with some toys. To go with this I plan to share some of the books we will display for each of the camelids. Today there are camels. Video with facts for kids.

Fun stories:

• Cleo the Completely Fine Camel  by Wendy Meddour and Carmen Sadani

• One Camel Called Doug by Lu Fraser and Sarah Warburton

• The Wooden Camel by Wanuri Khaki and Manuela Adreani

• Azad's Camel  by Erika Pal

• Little Humpty  by Margaret Wild and Ann James

• How the Camel Got its Hump by Anna Milbourne and John Joven

• Where's Jessie?  by Janeen Brian and Anne Spudvilas

• Columbia Sneezes!  by Janeen Brian and Gabe Cunnett

• Mustara  by Rosanne Hawke and Robert Ingpen

• Jamal's Journey  by Michael Foreman

• A Man and his Camel by Jo Bertini

Coming

• The Camel who had the Hump  by Rachel Bright and Jim Field

 Short chapter books

• How the Camel Got His Hump  by Shoo Rayner

and if you can find this

• How the Camel Got His Hump  by Rudyard Kipling and Lisbeth Zwerger 

• Hairy Hezekiah  by Dick King Smith

• Sophie and the Albino Camel by Stephen Davies

Some information books:

• Camels  by Kate Riggs

• Why do Camels Have Humps?  by Debbie Vilardi

• Camels Have Humps Tell Me Why by Susan Gray

• Hoosh Camels in Australia  by Janeen Brian

• Camels Close Their Noses by Mark Oblinger

And just because:

• My Librarian is a Camel by Margriet Ruurs

• Riding on a Caravan: A Silk Road Adventure  by Laurie Krebs and Helen Cann

If you don't want to celebrate camels now, do so on World Camel Day which is June, 22nd.