One Incredible Dog! Lady

Chris Williams

Review by Molly

Nurse Kathy is preparing to go to work. She works in both nursing homes and hospitals. Kathy and her Therapy dog Lady spend a lot of time helping others feel better. Lady wears a bright red kerchief when she is working as a therapy dog. Not all dogs can work as therapy dogs; therapy dogs must be very gentle. Everyone wants to pet Lady. She can do tricks too. Kathy has been teaching Lady how to do tricks and how to be obedient from the time she was a puppy. Most people like dogs, some don’t. Lady only visits the people she is allowed to visit. She plays ball with elderly patients, she helps children feel not so lonely, she even puts her front paws on the bed and bows her head to pray. Lady lays very quiet on the bed of a weak little girl who is very sick from her chemotherapy. Lady doesn’t do tricks, she only lays on the bed to keep her company.

Writer Williams and Illustrator Friedman have produced a remarkable little book sure to please all beginning readers; children and adults alike. Black and White pencil drawing illustrations surrounded by bandana print present caregivers, the ill and the well, young and aged in pleasant optimistic settings. While the illustrations help beginning readers understand the story; they are not specifically geared to children, thus the work will serve adult beginning readers as well as the younger set.

Vocabulary used is within the scope of many youngsters in the 7-9 set. The book lends itself well to reading time for younger folks; the 3-6s, read alone with some guidance 7-9, and read to younger siblings for the 10-12s. One Incredible Dog!: Lady will have a place in the home library as well as the school setting for pleasure reading. Those who search for well written books to offer their beginning adult readers will also find One Incredible Dog!: Lady is a good choice. I plan to use the copy I was sent to review with my adult beginning readers living in a residential care facility for the mentally retarded.

Writer, radio announcer Williams was inspired to write this book about One Incredible Dog!: Lady due to the work done by 9-11 rescue dogs. Lady is a living dog who was found on the side of the road, adopted and trained to be a Therapy Dog by her handler Kathy Miller. Therapy dogs do a lot to cheer up patients in hospitals and nursing homes. One Incredible Dog!: Lady will go a long way to help readers understand what Therapy dogs do in a typical day.

One Incredible Dog! Lady presents animals in a clear, positive manner. Readers come to know that while people age or become sick time spent in hospitals or nursing homes does not need to be bleak, overly unpleasant experience. Recovery and visits from Therapy animals and others are a part of the nursing experience too. One important message of the work is the fact that happiness and affection play a real role in the healing process.

Non-profit organizations like Therapy Dogs International (www.tdi-dog.org) and Delta Society (www.deltasociety.org) help educate and train therapy dogs and their handlers.

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