MIDTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL — Families gathered at Midtown Reader in Tallahassee on Saturday morning to celebrate the 13th Annual Independent Bookstore Day by helping young children build confidence in their reading skills with the help of therapy animals.
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The independent bookstore partnered with Tallahassee Memorial Health Care's animal Therapy Team to provide a judgment-free environment for kids to practice reading aloud and spark a love of reading.
"We know that when kids are not reading at grade level, especially by the third grade, there is a detrimental impact on them. You know, these are kids that are more likely to drop out of school, go into crime, things of that nature. So we're really wanting to meet the kids where they're at, and we want them to come and read and have fun and learn that reading can be something exciting," Caylee Wilson, Midtown Reader General Manager.
The presence of therapy animals shifts the dynamic of reading practice, allowing the child to take on a leadership role.
"The student becomes the teacher. They're reading aloud to the dog, and the dog becomes a student. The dogs don't judge them if they mispronounce a word or don't know it. We just give it to them. It makes them excited about practicing reading so they can go home and practice with their own pets," Heather Gainey, TMH Animal Therapy Manager, said.
For parents, the interactive event offers a new way to encourage early literacy before children enter the classroom.
"It's definitely more of a struggle to get her to do the, you know, practicing her own reading. It's something that I've been thinking about a lot, like, how can I make this a little bit more fun, a little more interesting for her, so that she can really engage with it?" Nancy Pinzino, parent, said.
Organizers noted that this approach helps build consistency in young readers.
"We've seen in local schools that their fluency and literacy skills improve throughout the year, as well as their attendance," Gainey said.
Midtown Reader hosts Kidtown Reading every Saturday at 11:00 a.m. to promote youth literacy. Every other month, the Tallahassee Memorial Health Care animal therapy team joins the event to boost engagement. The information on when TMH will be at Midtown Reader can be found on their website or Facebook.
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