Chicken Boy by Frances O’Roark Dowell

Chicken Boy by Frances O’Roark Dowell is the story of Tobin McCauley and his family. Tobin’s mom died and his dad is having a tough time raising Tobin and his rough brothers and sister. Tobin spends a good bit of his time with his crazy Granny and doesn’t have any friends his age until he meets Henry Otis and his brother Harrison. Henry and Harrison raise chickens and have their own business selling eggs and convince Tobin to become a business partner.

Life at Tobin’s house is lonely and one day becomes so unbearable that he suggests to his Granny that he live with her. Granny takes matters into her own hands and turns the lives of the McCauleys upsidedown. Read this sort-of sad but mostly happy book to find out how the family works things out and how the guys do in their chicken business.