The Last Straw

Thury (One Potato, Too) takes a few liberties with the Nativity story, mixing in the oft-heard proverb associated with the title phrase. The goofy gimmick soon grows tiresome: an aged camel accepts the job of carrying the wise men's gifts to the ""baby king"" and then plays the role of beast of burden to the hilt (""My gout. My sciatica. My joints""). But van Kampen's (Dinosaur Days) watercolors get the soft hues of sun-drenched sand and starry nights just right. For a more poignant and evocative camel's-eye-view, see Elizabeth Coatsworth and Anna Vojtech's 1997 Song of the Camels. All ages. (Aug.) FYI: A plush toy version of the camel, with removable cargo, is also available. ($8.95 ISBN 1-57091-379-X)