Tails & Tales - Read to Therapy Dogs (Van Belkum Branch)

Does your child enjoy reading and animals? This program pairs young readers with licensed therapy dogs from West Michigan Therapy Dogs Ruff Readers, giving kids a supportive, low-pressure environment to practice their reading skills. Children ages 6–13 each get about 10–15 minutes to read aloud to a friendly dog while the handler listens and encourages them along the way. The program runs from 6:00–7:00 pm, and reading slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so arriving early is a good idea. While you wait for your child's turn with a dog, the library has crafts and activities on hand to keep everyone entertained. It's a sweet way to build confidence in reading while enjoying the calming presence of a therapy animal.