The Camel Library: A True Story from Pakistan

Alongside warm and soft illustrations by Anain Shaikh, Marzieh Abbas lovingly weaves the heartfelt true story of Pakistan’s first camel library, which reconnected Pakistani children to the light of books in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meet Roshan the camel! He spends his days carrying firewood with his human, Murad, to feed their family. One day, a pandemic sweeps through their home country of Pakistan, closing the schools and public libraries. Many children, especially in rural areas, were left without access to learning materials.

Then Roshan and Murad get a call from an organization that wants to help, and they accept a new mission: instead of carrying firewood, they’ll carry books. Day after day, they set out to different villages, Roshan’s back loaded with books to lend out to the children they meet. But they don’t just bring stories--they also carry joy, hope, and connection.

The back of the book includes photos and more information about the camel library program, as well as fun facts about camels.

Raised between the bustling cities of Dubai, UAE and Karachi, Pakistan, Marzieh Abbas loves traveling, baking, reading and samosas. She is also the author of A Dupatta Is... and Henna Is..., a member of SCBWI, 12x12PB, and a life-long learner.

Anain Shaikh is an illustrator and communication designer based in Karachi, Pakistan. She graduated from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture with a major in Design and a minor in Illustration. She loves reading books and believes they are doors to tiny universes in your hands. In her free time you would usually find her painting murals on the furniture around her house or playing games on her Switch. She is a huge animal lover and has two cats named Bunny and Smoll.