The journey of little charlie, hardcover/christopher paul curtis

Twelve-year-old Charlie is down on his luck: His sharecropper father just died and Capn Buck -- the most fearsome man in Possum Moan, South Carolina -- has come to collect a debt.

Fearing for his life, Charlie strikes a deal with Capn Buck and agrees to track down some folks accused of stealing from the capn and his boss.

Its not too bad of a bargain for Charlie.

until he comes face-to-face with the fugitives and discovers their true identities.

Torn between his guilty conscience and his survival instinct, Charlie needs to figure out his next move -- and soon.

Its only a matter of time before Capn Buck catches on.