Kruimeltje by Chris van Abkoude

A warm-hearted but scrappy little orphan survives hardship in an early-20th-century Dutch city, moving between neglectful adults, foster situations, and the streets; through his courage, imagination and the friendships he forms with other children and a few kind adults, he has small adventures, shows acts of kindness and resourcefulness, and pursues the mystery of his origins until he finds belonging and a chance at a loving home.