About the book: 1963 / Pioneer Library, volume VII From the afterword: ...And Nikul Erkay pleased us with a story for children. The hero of his book, Alyoshka, is not a good boy and not a mama's boy. A shepherd, he knows the habits of animals well, knows how to cook dinner for a whole team, and learns to drive a tractor. Everyone sees not only Alyosha’s hard work and curiosity, but also his sincerity, courage, and resourcefulness. It is none other than Alyoshka who tames the enraged bull of Lake Baikal and is not timid during a thunderstorm. All the heroes of the story, except for the parasite Fedka and his son-in-law Kasyan, love Alyoshka. Readers will love him too. Pioneer Alyoshka will become a friend of the pioneers... A. Tverskoy