Kai and Thuan Luu enjoy reading to Poppy at the R.H. Stafford Library. Photo: Aubrey Fonfara
Learning to read can feel overwhelming, but reading aloud for an audience can feel equally, if not more, daunting. In 2009, Hardwood Creek Library in Forest Lake recognized this struggle and created Dog Gone Reading, a program that provides an audience of certified therapy dogs to children reading aloud. The program has since expanded to R.H. Stafford Library in 2014, and now welcomes anywhere from four to eight Woodbury families weekly to teach children to associate reading with a positive, nonjudgmental environment, says librarian Liz Gonzalez.
Dog Gone Reading’s certified therapy dogs are trained to be calm and great with children, making for engaged listeners and a seamless transition into reading independence. The most popular books are Early Readers, designed for kids just starting to read on their own. The program is intended for children from kindergarten through seventh grade and is free to attend. Interested participants can view the program schedule or register online at washcolib.org.
