"Her voice sounded kind and she gave me a lot of fuss." When Jenny enters her new home, she has no idea what to expect, but she quickly realises that she has come to loving people. In fact, Jenny is destined for a life of total devotion to her "mum." First, Mum patiently trains her to perform the usual dog commands like "sit" and "fetch." But as time goes by and Mum's condition worsens, Jenny has to understand her new needs and to adapt to them. Jenny develops a special sense - she knows how Mum is feeling and she knows how to look after her. In return, Mum bestows on Jenny the love that she...

WINNER OF THE GROLLO RUZZENE FOUNDATION PRIZE

When Chris travelled from Sydney to Dublin, he never dreamed his life was about to change forever. There he meets Daniela - one L, smile as you say it to pronounce it correctly - and it's amore at first sight. Before he can say si, he's uprooted to follow her to her sun-kissed hometown of Andrano, Puglia, tucked in the heel of southern Italy.

The whitewashed houses, olive groves and cobblestone lanes are beautiful, but soon Chris is getting to grips with everyday Italian life. There's infuriating bureaucracy, an anarchic road...