I am currently planning my Reading Club for Sixth and Seventh Grade students. We will be enjoying reading Dave At Night, by Gail Carson Levine.
This book appeals to boys because if my students had a rough start in this world, Dave will convince them that his road was a lot tougher. Our protagonist has been put into an orphanage because immediately after the death of his father, the relatives (in no uncertain terms) declare that Dave will not be a member of their household. Dave comprehends his situation entirely. No one wants him.
So, begins the tale of a boy and an orphanage in the heart of Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance. He has the experience of the street sounds, and the people who populate this section of his world. Nevertheless, he finds his friends, and his place after his many many adventures.