One Good Dog by Susan Wilson

Adam March is a self-made man. He also has a past he can no longer ignore, even when he thought it was buried. His carefully calculated life falls apart because of a momentary lapse of self-control. The judge orders community service at a homeless shelter. It is not work he would have chosen.This story is also about a dog who was bred to fight, a pit-bull cross, a breed with a reputation. The dog's voice offers insight into his life and perception of events.
Circumstances force Adam and the dog together and theirs becomes an unlikely friendship. Both characters have been shaped and formed by their life experiences and both have the opportunity to reassess their values and choices. It is a story about trust, relationships and second chances. Dog lovers will especially love this one.

Trash by Andy Mulligan

Raphael, Gardo and Rat are just three boys who live in a slum and sift through trash for a living. They might have a limited education but they have the smarts to outwit the police and enlist people to help them uncover a mystery.
A mystery that begins when Raphael discovers a wallet, a key and a map. He has found something that the authorities want and that puts him and his friends in danger. The story doesn't allow you to feel sorry that these boys live in unfortunate conditions but it does create an awareness of  what life is like for them. I liked these characters because of their bravery, ingenuity, craftiness, and determination. You admire their perserverance in the face of difficult and life-threatening odds.

 Suitable for level one reading, themes of corruption, friendship, and for cultural perspective.

Lunch with the Stationmaster by Derek Hansen

Four men meet weekly for lunch to share stories. This book is the third in the Lunch series. It is Milos who insists in his turn to tell his story. It is set in Hungary during World War Two. In 1941, Josef recognises the risks of being Jewish and arranges for his sons Tibor and Milos to become Catholic. He also prepares them to survive a life on the run should they all need to flee. Intertwined in their lives is another Jewish family whose daughter, Gabriella, is the subject of the two boys' affections.
Tibor and Milos avoid the round up of Jews in their village but watch helplessly from a distance as their father, Gabriella and her family are herded onto the trains destined for the concentration camps. The story that unfolds is one of peril, courage, love, loyalty, survival, and hope