I read The Paper Cowboy by Kristin Levine. The main character is Tommy, a twelve year old growing up in the era after WWII. The main characters are Tommy, Tommy’s mom, Little Skinny, Mr. Mckenzie, Eddy, and Mrs. Glazov. All his life Tommy has wanted to be a cowboy, but he doesn't always act like one. He bullies many people at school while his family is cruel to him at home. The only person he feels he can trust is his sister, Mary Lou, until she gets horribly burned at is forced to stay at the hospital to recover.
Now that Mary Lou is in serious danger, the beatings from Tommy’s mom get worse. As the beatings get worse, Tommy’s bullying starts to get out of control. Later, he is even caught stealing from the local store. Tommy’s life continues