It is the start of a new school year in Kendal, Jamaica, and Josh is determined not to be late. He sets off in good time but so does his beloved bull-calf, Boy, who follows him everywhere like a dog. Josh’s teacher is horrified to see Boy in the classroom but Josh manages to turn the situation to good advantage – until things start to go badly wrong.

When the headmaster tells Josh’s mother the story of Boy’s disastrous visit to school she insists that the calf is sold at once. The local storeman buys him in spite of Josh’s protests, driving a hard bargain. But Josh is a fighter; he organises his schoolfriends to mount first a demonstration and then a hunger strike in his campaign to get Boy back. The villagers, hostile at first, are soon on his side. Before long the embarrassed storeman realises that he has not been as clever as he thought.

Laszlo Ac’s sensitive and lively drawings add to the pleasure of this book.