simba

The story of Simba the Story Dog

 In the last moments of the last day of the festival I met Simba the Story Dog

"Wow that's a handsome dog - what's his story?" I asked Simba's handlers

"Simba is a story dog - he helps struggling or reluctant readers feel happy and comfortable about reading"

Well that certainly sounded very interesting - how on earth does a dog do that?

Simba and other Story Dogs, I was told, have been trained to be very interested in books and reading and children.

(hmmm maybe I was a story dog in a previous life)

I watched as Simba flopped onto a big rug and his handlers brought forth a book


Simba's expression perked.... "what's this?" his eyes seemed to say, "that looks VERY interesting..."

enter a small child

"hey there - do you think you could. maybe. READ me what's in this book?" Simba looked imploringly at the child then the book and then back to the child

This is part of what a Story Dog does - with their quiet, unjudgmental demeanor they help those young readers for whom reading aint such a lovely thing. Story Dogs sit and patiently listen as struggling readers stammer over text... they offer comfort and support - they LOVE what they are hearing.... their patience is unceasing, and their support unconditional.

"You are soooooo great!"

"WOW! tell me more!"

The Story Dog listens to the same book over and over again - never getting tired of the tale told.

I think you can tell that I was very taken with Simba the Story Dog, and my doggie love aside, I love what the Story Dog program is all about because our 9-year-old son has severe dyslexia. Books and reading are scary, painful things for kids with dyslexia - anything that can help alleviate the confidence stripping, esteem ripping anxiety that reading induces in a kiddie with dyslexia gets my two thumbs up.

Onya Simba

You're a star


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