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January 1, 2007
At Community Magnet Elementary in Los Angeles, children who are behind in  their reading skills found an audience of dogs in their library during the school’s recent Read-A-Thon, including Halle, a black Labrador retriever. Halle and her human teammate, Helene, make reading joyful. Sometimes Halle watches while children show read and show her illustrations. Sometimes Halle snuggles up and goes to sleep while the child reads. Either way, the child enjoys time with Halle and Helene adds encouragement.
“One second grade girl was having trouble with words,” recalls Helene. “When Halle relaxed and laid on her lap, the little girl relaxed, too. Some of the words she had stumbled over, she was now able to read better and sound them out faster.” A child’s confidence in learning can become shaky if they are beneath the level of their peers. Dogs like Halle are a patient audience for a child’s journey back to confidence. “One fourth grade boy just hugged and hugged Halle. He read very well to her,” Helene says.
Sarah Lilly, the school’s library aide, witnessed the children’s reactions as they read to the dogs. “The kids really opened up,” says Sarah. “I saw kids in the library who never come around, asking questions and completely engaged.” Halle, you’re a hero.
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