Giacomo Giammatteo 
A Hard Life [EPUB ebook] 
The Story of Tip Denton

George Denton was a good kid, young, enthusiastic and full of life. All he wanted was a mother who loved him and treated him right; instead, he got Holly.

Holly was a waitress at an all-night diner. To save money, she used to take George to work with her, which is where he earned the name Tip.

The things Holly did ended up getting her in trouble. It was bad enough for Tip growing up with a no-good mom; now he had to grow up with none at all, and he had a lifelong mystery to solve as well.