This spring, we are excited to introduce the newest member of the Youth Services team – Maisey, the therapy dog. Maisey is a certified therapy animal and is eager, along with her handler, to sit and listen to your child read a book. Maisey likes all kinds of books and stories!
In the Youth Services department, we are always searching for fun and creative ways to promote and support early literacy skills with our youngest readers. And as it turns out, sometimes, the best and most supportive listener may be a soft, furry pal with a wet nose. Reading with a therapy dog at the library offers an opportunity for children to practice their reading skills in a fun, relaxed and stress-free space. In addition, reading aloud can help support and improve literacy skills, building confidence in the process.
Maisey is a certified therapy animal with Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that evaluates, tests, trains and qualifies owners and their well-behaved dogs as therapy dog teams. Therapy dog teams provide unconditional love, offer friendship and boost self-esteem. We are excited to welcome Maisey and her handler to Princeton Public Library.
The first opportunity to read with Maisey in our “Paws to Read’ program is on Wednesday, April 29, from 4 to 5 p.m. Fifteen-minute sessions will be available by registration, one week in advance of the program date, beginning Wednesday, April 22. Community members are asked to register for only one 15-minute session per program. If you miss the opportunity to sign up for the April 29 session, Maisey will be returning to the library on a monthly basis.
Feel free to bring a favorite book from home to read with Maisey, or, if you need help finding a book, check out one of our curated lists with reading suggestions for kids of all ages. Happy reading with Maisey!
Photo by Brielle Papaccio.