Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp (2016) has cover art that previews what's inside the book. Papp's illustration style offers a gentle approach to children who struggle to read. This young girl is Madeline and she wants to read. She doesn't like to read because it's difficult. She wants to earn stars for reading like her peers do. "But sometimes I can't figure out the words. Sometimes the sentences get stuck in my mouth like peanut butter. Sometimes people giggle when I make a mistake." This last sentence is key to the story's resolution. There's no mention of seeking the help of a reading specialist. This absence always disappoints me in stories like this one. Somehow, simply reading without threat of embarrassment solves Madeline's reading problem. She's paired with a very large and gentle looking dog at her local library. Just picture a big, white golden retriever. This dog, Bonnie, doesn't giggle when Madeline gets letters mixed up, doesn't pronounce words correctly, and otherwise gets stuck. So Madeline's reading improves. She actually reads aloud in class by thinking about reading to Bonnie. Of course, she finally earns a star.
