Lisa Hodgkins, librarian for The Postal History Foundation in Tucson has recently published a children’s book entitled Camille Carries the Mail.
The story is set in 1850s Arizona and is inspired by the U.S. Army’s camel experiment during which a “Camel Corps” was used to carry freight and possibly letters through the Arizona desert. Camille the Camel is entrusted to carry an important letter but her daydreaming lands her in trouble. With the help of her desert animal friends, Camille eventually finds a way to deliver the mail.
Hodgkins was inspired to write Camille Carries the Mail as a way of introducing children to Arizona’s postal history as well as to generate funds for the PHF. The book is for ages 4-9 and is available for $9.99 from the Postal History Foundation or online through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.