The Last Straw

I just love this book. I purchased it years ago for my CCD class and just recently for my Aftercare Program. Sweet story and can be read or given to a wide age range of kiddos. I also have a hard cover version that I place behind my wisemen in my Nativity scene every year!

Hoshmakaka is a camel that appears selfish from the very beginning. After hearing voices in the wind, he is given a task to help the three "wise men" on their own journey to see Jesus. His foolishness/pride eventually makes his journey harder than it may have originally been while traveling to witness the birth of the baby Jesus. Now, he struggles to prove to himself, as well as his peers, that he's not all talk.While only a thirty-two page book, the illustrations and story are miraculous in every aspect. The notion of something being "the last straw that broke the camel's back" is taken both figuratively and literally in this story. I absolutely recommend this alternative nativity story to anyone willing to experience an unconventional perspective not usually portrayed around Christmastime. With a beautiful ending, the audience is sure to grasp the meaning of Christmas while learning a lifelong virtue readers are sure to see. Happy reading!

So, I bought this for a Christmas Eve box for my daughter. After seeing how many words were included she decided to have me read it instead of her. Well, I laughed until I cried, barely making it through the book, (maybe it was the lack of sleep) but the Camel is quite the character! And his name is something else in it's own. All in all it was a cute book and we enjoyed it.

This is a favorite book at our house. It focuses more on the camel than on the nativity, but still has a lovely Christmas message.

I love this book! We were looking for a book for our Christmas program to take our own pictures of the kids dressed up that went along with the book and then make a slideshow to run while someone reads the book. This book is sooooo awesome. It metaphors all the things that weigh us down in life, but then when we bring them to Jesus, He takes them for us. I love the book and I cannot wait for our Christmas program! I would totally recommend it!

Beautiful story of learning to do for others without grumbling, and also learning about what we can bring to Christ, our hearts. Loved the story and the beautiful illustrations. Great story for children, but also a good message for anyone. The only disappointment for me was the ending, I wish it could have been a few pages longer, as it was so beautiful and true, it can change our hearts forever. A good read for anyone.

We checked this book out from our local library when our daughter was just three. It was an instant favorite for us all. It made us laugh and touched us to tears. Two years later, our daughter still asks her daddy to give her a "Hoshmakaka ride" - him, the broken down old camel & her "the last straw." When trying to check it out at the library again this Christmas, I couldn't find a copy -- all were checked out & with holds on them. So I knew I had to buy a copy of our own. I highly recommend you do the same. It's a classic!

The kids enjoyed this book. A great addition to our library.

Item came well swapped and in good condition

Good quality book as described.