Just Call Me Uncle Sam
Or How a Camel Born at Sea Found Himself in Texas
2nd Edition
Published on 2. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
150 pages
978-1-964830-20-9 (ISBN)
Description
Just Call Me Uncle Sam: Or How a Camel Born at Sea Found Himself in Texas
Before he ever set a hoof on Texas soil, Uncle Sam had already crossed an ocean.
Born aboard a rolling ship bound for America, Uncle Sam was no ordinary camel. He arrived in Texas in 1856 as part of the U.S. Army's bold-and bizarre-experiment known as the Camel Corps, a real-life attempt to use camels to tame the rugged Southwest frontier. But Uncle Sam quickly learns that surviving the Texas wilderness takes more than long legs and a stubborn streak. It takes courage, loyalty, and heart.
Alongside Stormy, a hot-tempered mule with plenty of opinions, Uncle Sam journeys across dusty trails, lonely deserts, and rough military outposts. Together they face scorching heat, dangerous terrain, and the unpredictable humans who depend on them. Yet as their friendship is tested by ambition, pride, and changing frontier fortunes, Uncle Sam discovers that every adventure comes at a price-and every choice shapes his destiny.
Told in Uncle Sam's own unforgettable voice, this thrilling and emotional tale brings readers inside one of the strangest chapters in American frontier history. Young readers will experience the wonder, danger, and excitement of the Old West through the eyes of an animal who truly lived it.
From Spur Award-winning author Preston Lewis comes another remarkable true-to-history animal autobiography in the beloved Old West Critters Collection, where legendary animals tell the stories only they could tell. Perfect for middle-grade readers ages 8-14, animal lovers, and fans of frontier adventure, Just Call Me Uncle Sam blends humor, history, and heart into an unforgettable
More details
Series
Edition
2nd ed.
Language
English
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 8 to 12 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Weight
199 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-964830-20-9 (9781964830209)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Preston Lewis is the award-winning author of more than sixty western, historical, juvenile, and nonfiction works. In 2021 he was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters for his literary achievements. The Will Rogers Medallion Awards named him the 2025 recipient of the organization's Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the literature of the American West.Western Writers of America (WWA) has honored Lewis with three Spur Awards, one for best article, a second for best western novel and a third one for YA nonfiction in 2025. He has received eleven Will Rogers Medallion Awards (seven gold, two silver and two bronze) for written western humor, short stories, YA nonfiction, short nonfiction, and traditional Western novel.Lewis is a past president of WWA and the West Texas Historical Association, which has named him a fellow. He holds a bachelor's degree from Baylor University and a master's degree from Ohio State University, both in journalism. Additionally, he has a second master's degree in history from Angelo State University. He lives in San Angelo, Texas, with wife Harriet Kocher Lewis.