Six-year-old Caleb Hagemaster read “;Spot Goes to School”; to Suzi and appreciated her undivided attention.

Suzi is not a family member or friend — she's a service dog participating in the R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) program sponsored by Hawaii Fi-Do, an agency that trains assistance dogs to provide physical, psychological and therapeutic support for people with disabilities.

“;I like that the dogs listen when you read,”; Caleb said. “;She was really nice.”;

The program represents a win-win situation for both reader and animal. Caleb's father, Andrew, said the family already reads a lot at home. The big difference, he said, is that “;dogs don't correct their reading.”;

Kids are able to improve their literacy while spending time alone with the animals. “;It definitely improves their confidence,”; Andrew said.

Pet owner Nancy Hanks claims Suzi gets just as much benefit from the special attention. “;Suzi loves people, especially children.”;

The animals also learn to be attentive to their human companions, which bolsters their roles as registered therapy animals.

Dogs who possess the appropriate skills and temperament for therapy work are brought to public libraries and other settings where children can read aloud to them. Those involved in the program say animals make good reading companions because they help readers relax, are less intimidating than human listeners and let children learn at their own pace.

“;The object is for the kids to read to dogs, who are nonjudgmental and offer unconditional love,”; said Susan Luehrs, executive director of Hawaii Fi-Do Service and Therapy Dogs. “;This program is a motivational one that works on fluency and is just a fun thing to do with a well-trained dog.”;

MANDY KAANGA started sending her 4-year-old son, Tomokia, for different reasons. Tomokia could read since he was 3 but had a strong fear of dogs.

“;Tomokia was charged by a dog. He was so afraid, he would cling to my leg when dogs were around,”; she explained. “;I didn't want him to be fearful anymore. These are good dogs in a relaxed environment, so it has really helped him.”;

Tomokia's brother Masao also attends R.E.A.D. sessions regularly and was pleased to get “;licked on the face”; by Puff, a labradoodle (a cross between a Labrador retriever and the standard or miniature poodle) who regularly participates in the program.

The children also receive a tangible reward for their efforts, personalized bookmarks that include different dogs' photos, a highlight for 9-year-old Hannah Swartz and her 6-year-old sister, Sarah. “;We have a whole collection of bookmarks,”; Sarah said.

The girls' mother, Kara, said her daughters prepare well for their reading sessions. “;Both of them have a visual processing disorder that is similar to dyslexia. For them it was such a struggle to read. It's been a challenge so the program has helped,”; she said. “;They also rotate the dogs, so the girls get to meet different ones.”;

Libraries also benefit, according to supervisory librarian Bonnie Dong, who has been hosting R.E.A.D. monthly for the past few years. “;The program is also a hook to get families to come to the library,”; she said. “;At the library the idea is to give them an introduction to things. The kids don't have pressure when the dogs are around. They are calm, not nervous. The more they practice, the better readers they become.”;

Luehrs, a former special-education teacher at Kahuku High School, started the original program, “;Read to Willy,”; which was modeled after the R.E.A.D. program in Utah.

“;I always had dogs in the classroom and knew the calming effect it had on children,”; she said.

For many of the kids, the dog acted as a connector. “;Reading scores got better and attendance improved. The kids helped out with the dogs.”;

She sees similar effects when children read to the dogs at the library. “;The dogs offer unconditional love and really don't care if the kids can read.”;