Yusuf’s adventures · Book 02 · Ages 8–12

An Adventure in the Desert

A new friend. A rising wind.
One unforgettable journey.

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Illustrated Edition sample · No sign-up needed

An Adventure in the Desert — Portrait front cover

An Adventure in the Desert — Actual final portrait pages · view 1

An Adventure in the Desert — Illustrative photograph · Portrait coffee table

An Adventure in the Desert — Illustrative photograph · Portrait mother son reading

An Adventure in the Desert — Portrait back cover

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Books at home, shared reading and finished pages. Photographs are illustrative; chapter samples show the exact text.

Take your child beyond the city walls on a beautifully illustrated journey of friendship, courage and discovery—where the smallest kindness can mean the world.

Illustrated chapter fiction Friendship & kindness

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An Adventure in the Desert open on a coffee table

The story

The world is bigger
than Yusuf imagined.

Eleven-year-old Yusuf leaves Baghdad with his parents, bound for Damascus. With his new friend Hamza beside him, he discovers camel caravans, bustling stopping places and nights beneath a sky full of stars. But when the wind rises, the journey asks more of him than curiosity.

There are animals to understand, strangers to meet and a hundred questions to ask. With Hamza beside him, even the ordinary moments feel new. Then the wind begins to rise, and Yusuf must learn what it means to be brave, to help and to trust the people travelling with him.

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The Illustrated Edition

A bigger canvas.
A world to linger in.

Look a little closer. Discover a little more. Let the pictures carry you there.

The complete adventure in a full-colour hardback, with sweeping illustrations and details worth coming back to. Share a grand scene, follow a familiar face and pause over the little discoveries tucked into the page.

Enjoy generous facing-page scenes in A4 portrait, or wide panoramas in A4 landscape. A book to open together, give with love and return to as they grow.

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An Adventure in the Desert Illustrated Edition open on a sunlit coffee table

Illustrative photographs of the Illustrated Edition. Open the chapter sample for the exact text and page layouts.

History with a human heart

Discover the lives
between the great cities.

Travel from Baghdad towards Damascus through a fictional journey set in the early Islamic world. Caravan life opens a window onto the people, skills and shared effort that made long journeys possible.

An illustrated window into the historical world of An Adventure in the Desert

Life on the caravan road

Loaded camels, busy stopping places and evenings in camp bring the rhythm of travel close: the work, the waiting, the company and the discoveries along the way.

Hospitality and human connection

Meet people whose lives look different from Yusuf’s own. Conversations about families, weaving and travel invite curiosity about Bedouin life and the kindness of welcoming others.

Water, animals and the night sky

A well needs care. An animal needs rest. A guide needs knowledge of the land. The journey makes these practical details part of a vivid, human adventure.

Original historical fiction: Yusuf and his adventures are imagined, and the illustrated settings are creative reconstructions.

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Rooted in Islamic values

Big landscapes.
Small acts of goodness.

Patience when the road feels long. Gentleness with a tired animal. Willing hands when someone needs help. Through Yusuf’s experiences, Islamic values become part of daily life, alongside laughter, friendship and the excitement of somewhere new.

Share conversations about courage, caring for living things and trusting in Allah while taking sensible care and accepting help.

Made to be explored

Stay a little longer
beneath the stars.

Golden roads give way to indigo evenings, warm lantern light and far-off city walls. Sweeping illustrations capture both the scale of the journey and the closeness of the people sharing it.

For your family's bookshelf

An adventure to share.
A friendship to follow.

Settle in beside your child and travel with Yusuf and Hamza. There is room to pause over a picture, wonder about a new place and recognise the moments of kindness that make a journey memorable.

Written for ages 8–12. Read the opening chapter to find the right fit for your child, whether you plan to read together or they are ready to explore independently.

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Mother and son reading An Adventure in the Desert together

The same adventure. Your kind of reading.

The same adventure.
Two ways to enjoy it.

Every chapter. Every discovery. Both editions tell the complete story, with different ways to enjoy the illustrations.

Actual Illustrated Edition opening pages from An Adventure in the Desert

Illustrated Edition · actual sample pages

For the wonder of looking a little longer

Illustrated Edition

A bigger canvas.
A world to linger in.

Give the adventure room to unfold. Full-colour layouts and expansive artwork make the setting part of the experience, inviting children to explore the details as well as follow the story.

The same complete, unabridged story
Full-colour layouts with generous, immersive illustrations
Hardback in A4 portrait or A4 landscape

A beautiful choice for shared discovery, picture-loving readers and a thoughtful gift.

Both Illustrated formats contain the complete story. Read a sample here, then visit the bookshop to choose the format for your family.

Explore the Illustrated Edition

Read a chapter.
Begin the adventure.

Meet Yusuf in “Too Much to Carry”. Start with the full-colour Illustrated Edition in landscape or portrait. Each option opens the complete first chapter.

The same complete story in every edition. Free to read.

Enjoyed the first pages? Make room for the whole adventure.

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Actual opening pages of An Adventure in the Desert

Before you begin

A few things
you might wonder.

Who is this adventure for?

An illustrated chapter book for ages 8–12. Share it aloud or let a confident reader explore independently. The complete first-chapter samples help you judge the reading level for your child.

What are the different formats?

The Illustrated Edition is a full-colour hardback in A4 portrait or landscape. Both formats contain the complete story. Explore the photographs and free samples here; choose your format in the bookshop.

Where does it fit in Yusuf’s adventures?

Follow Yusuf from An Adventure in Baghdad, through An Adventure in the Desert, to An Adventure in Damascus. Damascus also stands alone, with an introduction that welcomes new readers.

Where can I buy the book?

Our separate bookshop is opening soon. When it opens, you can choose your edition and place your order there. Enjoy the free chapters in the meantime.

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A place on their bookshelf. A world in their imagination.