After a boy is shipwrecked on an island, he is surprised to meet Hom, a creature with green fur, orange hair, and a skinny, humanoid body. Eager to make a new friend, Hom helps the boy find food and shelter and shows him pictures he has drawn in his cave of the family he used to have. The time period is unclear, although the boy has a toy car and knows about go-carts. The boy does not know if his family survived the shipwreck, but he sends them a message in a bottle. When a rescue ship arrives, however, the boy decides he must protect Hom, and the two friends hide until the sailors leave. The final illustrations show the boy growing bigger. His narration makes it sound like he would like to return home but only after Hom no longer needs him. Adults may find the boy's decision surprising, but children will be ready to accept that living with a strange green creature on a deserted island is a reasonable life choice.