Dog gone fun found at Sherwood Public Library

Jay Lyster had been practicing all through kindergarten for his big day. A grin spread across his face when he walked into the Sherwood Public Library on a recent Saturday afternoon and saw Jackson, his new reading buddy waiting for him. The chocolate lab licked Jay’s fingers when he fed him a treat.

“I think he likes me!” Jay, who is 5 years old and just finished kindergarten at Edy Ridge Elementary School, told his mom as he settled into a beanbag next to Jackson.

The furry companion listened carefully as Jay read to him “Go, Dog Go!” by P.D. Eastman. Jay made sure to show Jackson all of the pictures.

Jay is one of several kindergarten and first-graders who are improving their reading skills by participating in Read to the Dogs, one of the library’s reading programs for children.

The program encourages young readers to read aloud to a trained, learning service dog, helping to build confidence in their reading abilities.

“It gives kids a good opportunity to have uninterrupted reading time,” said Brianna Davey, Jackson’s owner. “The dog is not going to judge them.”

Parents agree that the relaxed setting is encouraging for new readers like Jay, and makes reading enjoyable.

“(Jay) is so excited. He worked so hard in his reading group [during the school year] just because he knew that if he learned to read he could come and do this,” said Jay’s mother, Molly Lyster.

Jay’s face lit up when he received a photograph of himself and Jackson along with a special reading certificate after finishing his story, something Davey likes to do for each of the readers that visit.

“I want to do a lot of that,” Jay said. “I loved it!”

This is the third year that the library has offered the program, said supervising librarian, Jenny Swanson. Readers of any level can sign up for twenty-minute sessions between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the library on two Saturdays per month through the year.

Jackson and Davey are at the library one of the two weekends while another team, Christopher and his human handler Christina Christensen, usually volunteer on the other Saturday. The pair is retiring at the end of July and a new team will take their place for the Fall sessions, Swanson said.

Davey said she and Jackson usually get about three to six readers during the two-hour session. Kindergarteners and first graders are the most common age group, but toddlers and advanced readers have also participated in the program.

Some children return each week to visit their reading buddies and are showing improvement in their reading abilities, one of Davey’s favorite parts about volunteering.

“I enjoy seeing the kids interact with [Jackson] and knowing they are learning to read; it’s such a major step,” she said.

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