What it's about: "Twelve-year-old Charlie is down on his luck: His sharecropper father just died and Cap'n 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 Cap'n Buck and agrees to track down some folks accused of stealing from the cap'n and his boss. It's 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. It's only a matter of time before Cap'n Buck catches on."
Ages it's aimed at: 9-12 years
The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis ($12, originally $17)