Salt is everywhere in Taoudeni, where Malik lives. His father, a salt trader, regularly crosses the desert to Timbuktu, leading his azalaï of a dozen camels carrying blocks of salt to places where salt is scarce and precious. This time, Malik is old enough to join his father and to look after his own camel along the way. The trip involves hot days on the sand dunes, cold nights admiring the stars, and stops in places where salt is accepted as payment for various goods, from a necklace for Malik’s mother to a flower containing a valuable spice. A sandstorm almost ruins Malik’s first journey, adding high stakes to the narrative, but with diligence and determination, he recovers his camel and salt. The tale is effectively told from the perspective of a child eager to earn the trust of his father as he learns about the stars, the desert, and the many uses of salt, before finally arriving at the bustling city of Timbuktu. The evocative artwork makes strong use of an earthy palette and texture to capture the setting so essential to the story. An author’s note offers further information on salt and trade routes through history; many readers will be enticed into further research.
