Rasmus and the Vagabond

After running away from an orphanage, nine-year-old Rasmus finds the world a cold and unfriendly place until he meets an extraordinary tramp called "Paradise Oscar." Together they meet more adventure than they ever imagined, solve a mystery, catch the culprits, and find Rasmus a home. Astrid Lindgren, who gave the world Pippi Longstocking, sets this action-packed classic of children's literature in the Swedish countryside before the age of automobiles. This is one book you'll want to read more than once.