The Bookshelf: Patron Spotlight: Johanna and Jordan Whitt

Published 12:02 am Sunday, July 22, 2018

I know you have all heard the old saying “practice makes perfect.” When it comes to building the crucial skill of literacy, this advice certainly holds true. One of our goals in the children’s department at the library is to find creative, fun ways to encourage kids to practice reading.

We’ve teamed up with our friends from Alliance of Therapy Dogs, a national therapy dog organization, to provide a unique opportunity for kids to build their reading skills. Each month, certified therapy dogs visit the library and listen to kids as they read. This event creates a non-judgmental environment for children to grow their confidence. At our most recent program, we spoke with Johanna and Jordan Whitt about why they love the library. We hope you enjoy learning more about them.

Johanna and Jordan Whitt

How did you use the library today? Both: We came to pet the dogs, read books and get movies to take home with us.

What did you like most about visiting the library? Johanna: I like to play with the toys and read books. And I love Mrs. Lizzy! Jordan: We do lots of things here. My favorite thing is to visit the stuffed animals. My favorite program was building my own picture frame at Kids Create.

Why is the library important to you? Jordan: We need a library so we can learn to read and so we can learn new things from books.

What is your favorite book of all time? Jordan: The “Elephant and Piggie” books and the “Pigeon” books (by Mo Willems). Johanna: “Groovy Joe: Dance Party Countdown!” … and today I might find a new favorite.

Our next therapy dogs visit will be Tuesday, Aug. 21, from 5 to 6 p.m. To view all of our upcoming programs, visit www.ngrl.org or Facebook.com/DaltonWhitfieldLibrary.

Lizzy

Lizzy Stuckey is the youth services manager at the Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library.