We used this book as the basis for our church's family Christmas Eve service. The children participated in a recreation of the Christmas stories in Matthew and Luke, and then settled in for a reading of this great book. During the story, we had two people in a camel costume come through the aisles, as "presents" were loaded onto baskets on the "camel's" back. It was a great success, and helped bring alive the oft-repeated Bible stories.
Thury has a great skill of weaving in enough adult humor to keep the attention of even the most holiday-weary parent (this camel complains of his joints, gout and sciatica, which all parents and granparents can relate to after weeks of holiday shopping, eating and "assembly-required" efforts). My seven year old has requested it again and again. Original, enchanting and a great twist on both the Christmas story and "the straw that broke the camel's back." Or did it? The pictures are outstanding.