National Guide Dog Awareness Month 2022
September is National Guide Dog Awareness Month. What a perfect time for celebrating guide dogs, and the amazing work they do!
One of the best known guide dogs in history was named Roselle. During the attacks at the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001, Roselle led her handler, Michael Hingson, down 78 flights of stairs to safety. Michael wrote a book for adults about their story, called Thunder Dog. Michael and Roselle’s story taught a lot of people about how intelligent guide dogs really are.
Do you want to learn more about guide dogs? Check out this selection of materials from the library below!
I Love Vincent by Laura Ljungkvist
Picture book. Scout is a guide dog to his best human friend, Vincent. As the two move throughout their day, we see just how much they help each other.
Guide Dogs by Dale Jones
Non-fiction. All about guide dogs! Did you know that like humans, guide dogs retire? Learn all about them, including their duties, training, and how they are matched with their handler.
Morris and Buddy: The Story of the First Seeing Eye Dog by Becky Hall
Non-Fiction. The true story of Morris Frank, a blind young man who traveled to Europe in 1924 to meet a specially trained dog. After bringing his new helper dog home, Frank opened the first guide dog training program in the United States.
Buddy by Kate Klimo
Fiction. A novel based on the real-life story of Morris and Buddy, told from Buddy's perspective.
Raising Lumie by Joan Bauer
Fiction. A twelve-year-old girl helps raise a puppy to become a guide dog, who in turn helps her through her own personal trauma.
Film. This 27 minute video about how guide dogs are trained can be streamed through Kanopy.
Books About Service Dogs
Though not specifically about guide dogs, these books about other types of service dogs will delight kids.
Harley the Hero by Peggy Collins
Picture book. Harley is a service dog for a teacher with an invisible disability. Beloved by all the students, neurotypical and neurodiverse alike, he becomes a hero when he saves a student during an emergency.
I'm a Gluten-Sniffing Service Dog by Michael Babay
Picture book. Meet Chewie, the sharp-nosed poodle who makes sure that Alice, who has celiac disease, doesn't eat anything that could harm her.
Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky & Patrick Downes
Non-Fiction. When he is paired with a girl who wears prosthetic legs from an accident, Rescue worries that he won't be up to the task of being her service dog. Based on a true story.
Wednesday & Woof: Catastrophe by Sherri Winston
Early Reader. Woof is a service dog who helps Wednesday with her juvenile arthritis...and solving mysteries.
Chester and Gus by Cammie McGovern
Fiction. Chester failed out of service dog school. But when he is adopted as a companion animal for an autistic boy, he discovers he can help his new best friend in ways nobody imagined.
Are you interested in more children's books about disability? Check out our list, Disability: Read Up on It! for a carefully curated selection of titles.
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