
The Cay is the story of Phillip, a boy living on the island during World War II. As he and his mother are trying to escape the war and head back to their home in Virginia, the
ship they are riding on is hit by a torpedo and sinks. Phillip survives the boat accident only to be trapped on an island with a black cat and a black man named Timothy. The accident leaves Phillip blind. Not only does he have to learn adjust ot his blindness, but he must learn to survive on the barren island in the Caribbean Sea. In the midst of this ordeal, Phillip also changes his views on racial prejudice and develops a strong bond with Timothy.
The author, Theodore Taylor, dedicated this book to Martin Luther King Jr.