A child sits down with their new reading buddy. Normally they'd be nervous, shy about stumbling on words. But not today – not with Sonic.

Because Sonic is a dog. His little reading nook is a judgment-free zone; a non-threatening space where children can practise their reading and develop their love for books.

Debbie is reading to Sonic. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

‘Reading with Dogs' is a growing initiative throughout libraries in New Zealand, and this school holidays it's coming to Te Puke.

On Wednesday, April 20, children can spend 15 minutes reading to Sonic the greyhound in Te Puke Library's first Reading to Dogs experience.

'We've been wanting to bring Reading to Dogs to Te Puke for about a year, so we're really excited to finally be doing this,” says team leader libraries community Christine Busby.

'Research shows reading to dogs can do amazing things for children's reading confidence, because they can't be judged.

'Often children can feel nervous reading to other people, afraid to make a mistake or that they won't be good enough – but with dogs all that goes away.”

Christine is working with Megan Clark, from ‘Greyhounds as Pets', who is providing retired racer Sonic for the job.

Greyhounds for Pets is a rescue organisation helping retired racing greyhounds find new homes.

Megan says Greyhounds are the perfect dogs for the programme because they are sweet, placid and love children; and will sit or lie for ages soaking up the attention.

'This is the first time Sonic is doing anything like this but we are excited to see how it all goes; he's such a sweetheart. Other greyhounds from Greyhounds as Pets have been used for similar initiatives with great success.”

Children can read to Sonic for 15 minutes each. Library staff and Sonic's handler will be close by during each session. If the April trial is a success, Christine hopes to make it a permanent fixture.

Registrations for Reading with Dogs is required. Phone Te Puke Library on 07 571 8008.