Rock Island, IL: Starting in February, kids can read with a dog again at the Rock Island Library.
The twice-monthly Read with Rover events allow children from PreK to 6th grades to practice reading aloud to a therapy dog at the Rock Island 30/31 and Southwest Branches. The library first introduced the popular read with a dog events this summer.
Read with Rover events will be offered from 5:30 to 6:30 pm on Monday, Feb. 2 and Monday, March 16 at the 30/31 Branch, 3059 30th Street, and Monday, Feb. 23 and Monday March 30 at the Southwest Branch. Sessions are scheduled through May. For more dates, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org.
Each drop-in session pairs a young reader with a certified therapy dog and handler from the Quad Cities Canine Assistance Network (QC CAN). No registration is necessary.
"Reading aloud has great benefits for kids of all ages, from developing vocabulary to attention, and the dog provides a patient and loving audience," says Ranell Dennis, a children's librarian from the Rock Island Public Library.
Families who stay for the 6:30 pm Pajama Storytimes offered immediately after Read with Rover can experience a story, song and craft on different story themes and learning concepts, including "backwards" stories on Feb. 2 and friendship stories on Feb. 23. The free Pajama Storytimes are designed for ages birth to five.
For more events at Rock Island Public Libraries, visit the library website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow the library on Facebook or Twitter, or call 309-732-7323.
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