Science Fiction Smith, George O.: The Fourth "R", v1, 03 April 2008.

[Dr. Drib]

Here's another sci-fi novel by George O. Smith.

...and here's a plot summary taken from the web:

"At the beginning of the story, Jimmy's mother and father are murdered by their best friend, who is also the youngster's godfather and appointed guardian as well as the inventors' trustee. It leaves the protagonist—who has had the plans of his parents' invention eidetically and indelibly imprinted in his mind—to destroy the physical copies of these plans before his "uncle" can finish him off as well.

"Jimmy must survive his guardian's efforts to squeeze the secret of the invention out of him (whereupon his death will most certainly be arranged, just as his parents' were), and then escape into hiding until he can grow into a physical stature commensurate with his mental age.
In the tradition of A.E. Van Vogt's Slan, The Fourth "R" examines the difficulties of life on the run as a precocious and exceedingly alienated young child. The story line was bound to appeal to the average science fiction fan, who lives his life engulfed in an ocean of the mundane, the latter readily perceived as either indifferent or actively hostile.

"Smith's writing illuminates his characters with greater skill in this entirely earthbound novel than can be found in his earlier "outer space" work. His depiction of the eccentric reclusive writer façade devised by his protagonist in order to make a living (in an age before government issued IDs became widespread) is one of the most amusing in mid-20th century American fiction."

I hope you enjoy it.

Don