Klaus Vogel and the Bad Lads

Klaus Vogel and the Bad Lads by David Almond is set in a small English town in the aftermath of World War II, where German refugee Klaus Vogel arrives as an outsider. The local gang, the Bad Lads, takes Klaus under their wing, but their harmless mischief escalates into increasingly hateful pranks under the leadership of a new boy named Joe. A fire at Mr. Eustace's house coincides with Klaus's arrival, forever changing the dynamics of the group and challenging Klaus's understanding of loyalty and belonging.