posted on 15 Aug 2017

Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp

I’ve always considered myself very lucky when it comes to reading – I can’t remember having any problems learning and I certainly didn’t have any traumas about it. In fact, it feels to me that I could always read – even though it wasn’t something I spent much time doing outside school when I was young. What I do remember, however, was the terrible experience of having to read out loud to the class and the humiliation of stumbling or making mistakes. Even now I can remember my throat tightening and my breathing becoming shallow and difficult as I sat waiting for my name to be called out.

So I think it’s brilliant that a charity exists – Pets As Therapy: Read2Dogs - to try and help children overcome their fear of reading. By reading on a one-to-one basis with a dog prepared to listen without judgement, children can develop confidence in a secure environment. This is what the charity say themselves:

Most adults are apprehensive about speaking in public. It is very daunting. Young people are no different. Research shows that young people can become nervous and stressed when reading to others in a group. However, when a PAT Dog enters the group, they often become less stressed, less self-conscious and more confident as the dogs are non-judgemental. Before long the young people are starting to look forward to the reading experience as they are going to read to their new friend, the PAT Dog. PAT Dogs provide comfort, encourage positive social behaviours, enhance self-esteem, motivate speech and inspire young people to have fun.

http://petsastherapy.org/what-we-do/read2dogs/

The publisher of this book, Old Barn Books, is not only helping to promote this charity with Lisa Papp’s book but also states on the flyleaf that every book sale will result in a 50p donation to Pets As Therapy.

Lisa Papp’s story tells us about reluctant reader, Madeline Finn who doesn’t want to read anything, even the menu on the ice cream van, for fear that she will make mistakes and be laughed at. At school reading is a nightmare for her and her classmates can be cruel – how will she ever get the reading star she so much covets?

Then on one Saturday her mom takes her to the library promising that there’s a very special reason to go. Madeline is doubtful but is amazed to be shown to a room where other children are reading to pet dogs. Here she is introduced to Bonnie who is ‘like a big snowy polar bear’. Madeline and Bonnie become firm friends and they read together every Saturday until it’s time for Madeline to try reading again in class. This time it’s all very different and Madeline gets her reading star.

Lisa Papp is a US based artist and children’s author whose pictures for this book are an huge part of its appeal. Her drawings are often striking full page illustrations and employ a style and a colour palette that reminded me quite a lot of Helen Oxenbury’s drawings for her version of the Alice books. That’s a pretty good pedigree.

This book is a lovely story promoting a great cause – go out and buy one because you’d be getting a fabulous book and contributing to a most worthwhile charity.

 

Terry Potter

August 2017