A moving novel about a teenage boy's coming-of-age amid the pressures and hardships of the Great Depression

13-year-old Joe Riley lives with his violent father. When his hometown is hit by the Great Depression, his family gets involved with illegal activites to make ends meet. Joe is then sent to live at a Catholic boarding school, where he is faced with new hardships that further test his resilency and character. This is an unsentimental portrait of the 1930's Great Depression era. Impeccably researched and accessible, strong topics—including the realities of the Great Depression, domestic violence, and sexual abuse—are dealt with sensitively and at a level suitable for a young reader.