What's the Matter, Habibi?
PreSchool-Grade 2.  Lewin's expressive, playful line-and-watercolor illustrations bring to life this funny tale. Habibi, a camel, and his owner, Ahmed, work each day giving rides to children. One day, Habibi refuses to get up. Puzzled, Ahmed wonders if the animal's feet hurt and offers him his own babouches, or shoes. Habibi runs off in them to the bazaar where he trades them for a brilliant red fez with a black tassel. Ahmed buys back his own shoes and follows the proud camel back to their stand. Ahmed and Habibi are joyfully reunited and all ends well. Lewin's sense of whimsy shines throughout: readers get their first hint of trouble on the title page, as a blissfully unaware Ahmed leads an interested Habibi past the fez booth. The Arab locale is depicted as a mix of old and new; the traditional bazaar is peopled with shoppers and merchants wearing both traditional and modern dress. Lewin masterfully conveys who is truly the boss in Habibi and Ahmed's warm and enduring friendship; the camel's self-satisfied expression as he returns from the bazaar speaks volumes. This book will be fun for sharing, either one-on-one or with a storytime audience.?Marilyn Taniguchi, Santa Monica Public Library, CACopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.