Join us here at Almaden Branch Library for our Reading to Furry Friends program for children.  At this program, held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., we pair children who want to improve their reading skills with literacy assistance dogs (and their trainers) from Furry Friends for some one-on-one reading fun. Children naturally feel comfortable around dogs. By making the most of this relationship, parents and teachers can improve literacy skills and encourage reading. Come join the fun!

The San José Public Library has a fun program for kids to practice their reading skills by reading to some friendly dogs, cats, and other animals. It's called Reading to Furry Friends. Kids are paired with an animal for some one-on-one reading time. This is a great way to encourage kids to improve their reading skills and develop relationships with animals.

If your kids need suggestions for what to read to them, here are some fun books that the listening animals might appreciate:

Oh No George! by Chris Haughton

George wants to be a good dog, but when his owner goes out for the day, he struggles with the temptations that all dogs surely face: digging in the flower garden, chasing the cat, and swiping some cake off the kitchen table.  Will George be good?

Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd

Dog is white with a black spot on one ear.  But after a day spent romping, he comes back with a whole bunch of different color spots.  Learn colors and number with this colorful canine!

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

The mother of this George despairs of ever getting her puppy to make the noise that all dogs must: BARK!  A variety of other animal sounds come out of George, so she takes him to the vet to see what the problem is.

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes  

Kitten is convinced that the moon is a big bowl of milk just out of his reach.  He will try almost anything to get that bowl of milk.  Will Kitten go hungry or will he succeed?

Pete the Cat by James Dean

Pete loves his new white shoes.  But as he walks down the street and steps in colorful mess after colorful mess, his shoes aren’t so white anymore.  But that’s fine with Pete, who keeps singing his song and loving his shoes.

What Will Fat Cat Sit On? By Jan Thomas

What will Fat Cat sit on?  All of the animals in this book just hope it won’t be them.  Can they come up with a solution before it’s too late?

If your child wants to read to one of our furry friends, then check out the locations below for dates and times:

• Edenvale
• Rose Garden
• Santa Teresa
• Seven Trees
• Willow Glen

Hello, Holly! This gentle seven-year-old greyhound is quiet and sweet-natured. She loves people and other dogs. She is happy indoors, but she also likes to go camping. Holly is a brindle color, which means her fur is a kind of speckled blend of browns, reds, and black. She was never used for dog racing. Sherrlyn works for a greyhound rescue organization, and it was her job to find Holly a home. It turns out the perfect home was her own. Sherrlyn adopted Holly and they are both living happily ever after, right here in Willow Glen. Holly’s big brother, another greyhound named Gromit, lives with them. Holly loves people, so she and Sherrlyn are volunteers with Furry Friends pet-assisted therapy. Twice a month, Furry Friends come to visit the Library on Minnesota Avenue so kids can practice reading to the dogs. 

If you want to meet Holly and her friends, come to visit Willow Glen Branch Library at 4pm on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. For the next scheduled Furry Friends visit, as well as other events, see our calendar. See you at WG!

Visit the Edenvale Branch Library Community Room to attend our Reading to Furry Friends program for children.   At this program, we will pair children who want to improve their reading skills with literacy assistance dogs (and their trainers) from Furry Friends for one-on-one reading fun.   Children naturally feel comfortable around dogs and other pets.    By making the most of this relationship, parents and teachers can improve literacy skills and encourage reading.  Join the fun!   This program takes place on the second Thursday of each month at 3:00 PM.

Meet Chiko! This nine-year-old is a dog with a job--he's a Furry Friends therapy dog who visits Willow Glen Branch Library, and other places, spreading joy and good will. What do therapy dogs do at the library? They act as a friendly audience to young readers. With a dog's non-critical ear, a beginning reader is more likely to enjoy the learning experience. Chiko is very well-behaved, a requirement for a therapy dog. Plus, this mixed breed is big enough to endure hugs from tots, and he loves kids. Chiko was found in an animal shelter and adopted by Debra, a second-grade teacher who frequently brings him to her classroom. He's been a therapy dog for three years. Children and families are invited to visit WG on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month to read to Chiko and other Furry Friends. Or look for other reading to dogs programs in your area.

The second and fourth Thursdays of the month are two of my favorite days, because dogs and books come together at Willow Glen Branch Library for our popular Reading to Dogs program. I always enjoy seeing Sassy and all the Furry Friends. On March 24, Willow Glen had a brand new visitor, the tall and handsome Tygon. He arrived with a bandage on one leg because he was still recovering from a bad spider bite. With any luck, his recovery will include the discovery of super powers. He already has super speed--Tygon is a Greyhound, and he used to be a racing dog. In fact, Tygon was one of the last dogs to race in Kansas, before the last dog-racing track was closed down. But that was two and a half years ago; since then, Tygon has been enjoying a more leisurely life in California with his human, Patrice.

It could be said that Tygon is a teacher's assistant at Willow Glen High School. His favorite subject in school is chemistry. He also enjoys being a Furry Friend, which lets him meet lots of new people, especially children, with whom he is unfailingly patient and tolerant. At ninety-five pounds, Tygon is on the large end of the Greyhound scale; his roommate Onyx is fully grown at only sixty pounds. I found out that Greyhounds often enjoy sleeping on their backs. This unusual canine behavior is called "roaching." For more information on this fascinating breed, take a look at your local library for books about Greyhounds. To meet Tygon in person, youngsters can come to Willow Glen on my favorite days and read him a book.