Full of Beans by Jennifer Holm

Beans Curry lives in depression era Key West Florida.  He is always looking for a way to earn a buck.  He tries collecting cans from the dump, or selling tree sap for gum.  When things get worse financially at home, he resorts to less ethical means, but eventually learns that running with the Wrong crowd has its consequences.

This is another book that is on many of the Newbery lists and it is primarily because Beans is such an intriguing figure. He starts out pretty a-moral, doing whatever it takes to make things work, but through the story he figures out that there really is a difference between right and wrong.  He is also amazing charming, with the kind of personality that makes other kids want to be his friend, and grownups trust him (even when he isn't very worthy of their trust).  Didn't we all know a kid like that when we were young?  This might not be my first choice for Newbery, but if it won, I wouldn't be too sad. (195 p.)