I have been reading the Power of the Dog trilogy, by Don Winslow. I'm on the last book, The Border.
A new character was introduced in this book, Nico Ramirez. He's a 10 year old boy and when we first meet him, he is scavenging in a trash dump in Guatemala. I read a few pages of this to my eight year old, with some light editing (I did include the lady with the sharp fingernails and cane with a nail embedded in it and what she did to Nico's friend, Flor). I can't read much more as it gets more graphic.
Are there more age appropriate books that show how kids (8-10) might have to do to survive? He has read/been read Magical Misfits/Notebook of Doom. I still think he's a little young for A Series of Unfortunate Events.
by 10aFlyGuy