The Junkyard Dog

by Erika Tamal, 1995. Katie lives in the projects with her mother. She's a pretty happy 6th grade girl, at least until Damika joins their class. And until she finds that the cruel Mr. Farrow has put a guard dog in his junkyard. The dog is thin and afraid of everyone. If things weren't bad enough, her mom marries Jim Brady, a carpenter who seems to take up all the space in their already tiny apartment. And her best friend, Crystal, is flirting and doing makeovers instead of playing basketball on the weekends. Read this moving book to find out how Katie helps "her" dog, how she discovers the true meaning of friendship, and how to trust again. This is a gem of a book.