Did you know that your pet has the potential to help you heal? Do you suffer from hypertension? Try the soothing purr therapy of a cat. Have a social anxiety disorder? A dog companion may help you stay calm and in control when in public....

In Junkyard Girl: A Memoir of Ancestry, Family Secrets, and Second Chances by Carlyn Montes De Oca, we find that the author grew up surrounded by a family that loved her and tried to protect her. Her parents were immigrants from Mexico who had nothing,...