All of the small children sitting on the rainbow carpet at Queen Memorial Library in Point Breeze are transfixed. Despite the usual temperament of three-year-olds, this group neither whines nor complains.
They pay close attention to librarian Elizabeth Gardiner’s effusive reading of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. What’s keeping the small bodies in check? The attentiveness likely has to do with the chocolate-colored gentle giant sprawled across the rug in front of them.
Konig, a seven-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog, is one of a handful of pups who volunteer their time to providing “judgment-free” zones at select Free Library locations. Each month, he patiently listens to over-enthused narration and pants along to silly sing-a-longs with 15 to 20 daycare-aged children.
The idea isn’t novel — but it’s getting more and more popular.
