Who is Sonny, you ask, and why would I want to meet him? Sonny is an English Golden Retriever and the latest addition to our after-school Reading Lab program. Sonny, a certified therapy dog visits the third floor each Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 pm with his owner Milada Meli-Jones.
Therapy dogs are not new to Princeton Public Library. Emma, an English Labrador and her owner Joe Turner have been visiting the library on Monday afternoons for several years. Dogs like Sonny and Emma train for over 16 weeks to sit and listen to children who may have a reading disability, inordinate shyness, Down syndrome, autism or who are learning to speak English. Along with the opportunity to read aloud to the dogs, children are also encouraged to come and read independently or with a reading buddy. This is a perfect way for emerging readers to develop their skills and boost their reading self-confidence.
Children of all ages and reading levels are invited to join us for a 15–minute session to read aloud to Emma on Mondays and/or Sonny on Wednesdays in the third floor story room. More information on our Reading Lab program can be found here.