Trusting someone takes time. It's a process that requires a lot of patience and love--especially when such a bond needs to be forged between a rescued animal with an unknown past and a new family with expectations of their own. Written by Maddalena Schiavo and based on illustrator Eleonora Pace's real-life journey of adopting a dog whom she named Mela (Italian for "apple"), this tender picture book narrated in first person will strike a chord with animal lovers and pet owners of every age and provide a springboard for social and emotional learning (SEL).