Lola Goes to Work: A Nine-to-Five Therapy Dog

K-Gr 2—Lola is a lovable Yorkshire Terrier who is certified as a therapy dog for visits to classrooms, hospitals, and centers for elderly people. Through endearing close-up photographs of the pup during training and on the job, readers learn about her daily duties, as told from her point of view. Of course, Lola's owner is anthropomorphizing her dog, but who can resist, given that Lola clearly seems to enjoy her important job. The text is written at about a first-grade level, but its simplicity does not detract from its message and appeal. The book ends with an explanation of therapy dogs and a teacher/parent page with suggestions for ways to help children express empathy for others and/or explore career options. The endpaper sketches of a Yorkshire Terrier engaging in reading activities are just as endearing as Lola herself. The book might encourage young authors to write their own stories of the jobs their pets have or interview people whose professions they might want to pursue.—Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID