A young Moroccan stableboy named Agba is charged to take care of a new foal. The foal's mother has died, and Agba feeds the foal with camel's milk. He names the foal Sham. When Sham is grown, the Sultan sends him and Agba to France. Sham is to be a princely gift for the French king, but when they arrive, Sham is half-starved and worn from the journey, so he is sent to be a common cart horse. Eventually Sham is bought by a new owner and taken to England with Agba sticking closely to his side. They make some new friends, and find new enemies. Agba has many troubles, but he is determined to stay with Sham and care for his favorite horse as if they were brothers.

No wonder this book won the Newberry Medal. It's wonderfully written! I loved all the adventures that Agba has along with Sham, and the close relationship between boy and horse. It's so sweet to see how they understand each other without words. Sham trusts Agba completely, and Agba knows exactly how to care for Sham. They stick close together through thick and thin.

The plot moves along quickly from adventure to adventure in Morocco and France and England. We meet a lot of diverse characters along the way, some of the kind and generous and some of them selfish and cruel.

I loved the thoughtful writing style. There are quiet moments of peace and frightening scenes full of drama and delightful triumphs followed by devastating defeats. So many ups and downs in the plot, and each one is emotionally intense because the writing brings forward the depth of Agba's character in a thoughtful way.