Furry Friends Take the Scary Out of Reading Aloud for Halloween

All dressed up for Halloween, two and four-legged visitors came to the Malverne Public Library on Oct. 27 for a special kind of story time.

Bella and Petey, two Shetland collies, and the children who came to read to them, are a part of the Tail Waggin' Tutors' program. For two hours, the dogs, in their Halloween best, provided a friendly ear and unconditional approval to the children, as they read aloud to their furry friends.

"Reading to Bella and Petey is fun," said fourth grader, Soleil Carboni.

According to a study by the University of California, Davis, children who read to dogs, aren't just having fun, they're improving their reading skills significantly. Children's librarian Mary Heuman brought the Tail Waggin' Tutors program to the Malverne Library two years ago.  

"I did my Master's thesis on the subject," Heuman said.  "Reading to dogs is shown to lessen a child's anxiety when reading aloud.  Dogs don't judge them, they just listen."  

Husband and wife team, Tim and Julie Canzoner, are Bella and Petey's handlers.

"Our dogs are certified therapy dogs," Julie said. "Petey is a rescued dog and he's great with the children, he has a calming effect on them."

Tail Waggin' Tutors sessions are free and each child reads to a dog for 20 minutes. For more information about the program contact Mary Heuman at the library.  Space is limited and registration is required.