Want students to read more? So does Townsend Press. That's why we created the Townsend Library—a collection of high-interest paperbacks that engage readers. These books feature compelling human stories and include an afterword and author commentary to deepen readers' enjoyment. Acclaimed by educators and readers alike, each Townsend Library book is available to schools for $3.
Fourteen-year-old Dick Hunter lives on the streets of New York in the 1860s. His parents are dead, and he has been on his own since the age of seven. He shines shoes to earn a living. He sleeps in boxes. He jokes about having a mansion on Fifth Avenue and about owning shares of Erie Railroad stock. But he cannot imagine ever being more than a bootblack who spends every cent he earns and lives hand-to-mouth—until by chance he meets Frank Whitney.
Readability Note: This Townsend Library Classic has been carefully edited for clarity and readability. Click here for details about the editing process.