A Song of Sixpence by AJ Cronin

A story of a boy of an Irish immigrant family growing up as a Catholic in Protestant Scotland. His parents marriage estranged them from their families. When the father, who was doing well in the baking industry, dies of consumption, the son and mother becomes dependent on the Irish in-laws. Only hard work and recovery from deep disappointments keep them from falling into disrepute. A well-written story with vivid characters from the view-point of an innocent boy.