From the Handlers   

I just started a reading club at my school and the local public library group in January. I am really enjoying myself and so is Gracie. Last week, a parent told me that ever since her son has been reading to Gracie, he reads each night to his own black lab, Webkinz (Gracie is a black lab)! That just made my day! I am thrilled to be a part of this wonderful program!

 

Jodie & Gracie

The R.E.A.D. program materials offer so much valuable information and so much experience. I appreciate all you and staff do. It has helped me tremendously. I go through the material at least once a week and find something I hadn't seen before. 

Our schools often consider subject material separated from each other. I don't. Our lives flow each day and we don't segregate the pieces. The animals we use in therapy are in continuous flow with the child. I think that's one reason "animal therapists" are so successful. 

Shirley May May 

  Overland Park , Kansas

December 6, 2004 

When Figaro nods off, I tell the kids, "Look!!  You did such a good job reading to Figaro that he fell asleep!"

Last week, a little girl who had never read to Figaro got to the bottom of the page, stopped, and turned the book around so that Figaro could see the picture.  She did that at the end of each page.  She didn't show ME the picture  - just the dog.

Rich Aronoff 

New York , NY  

October 17, 2004 

One little boy, after working with Dusty for three weeks, confessed with a red face that he had a great memory but could not read on his own. After getting a magnetic board and working with alphabet vowels and consonants, he learned how words were formed and pronounced. The first word he wanted to spell was Dusty! By the end of the year, we couldn't believe it was the same child reading. The last day of school, he came by and requested that he be able to read with Dusty this next school year. Dusty and I were so pleased and thankful, and we look forward to working with this young boy again. It has been an absolute joy to be involved in the R.E.A.D. program! 

Lynda Wigal, Therapy ARC and Project R.E.A.D. 

Franklin , TN  

April 11, 2000 

One young child arrived at the library for the first time to read to one of the dogs. His head down and speaking in a whisper, he told me, "I don't read very well." The first week he only read a half a book, and two books the next. By the fourth week, his attitude was far different. He came running in and, in a rather loud voice for a library, exclaimed to my dog, "Olivia, I have a really cool book to read to you today, you're going to love it!" 

Sandi Martin 

Salt Lake City , Utah