Local News Reporter's Book to Benefit Valley Humane Society

Pleasanton local Juliette Goodrich has written a book titled, "Paws Goes to the Library" about the Pleasanton Library's "Paws to Read" reading program. The proceeds of the book will benefit the Valley Humane Society.

Goodrich, who is a mother and an Emmy award-winning news anchor and reporter for KPIX-TV San Francisco, says she was inspired to write the book after visiting the library program for a news story.

Goodrich wrote, via email:

"The storyline is based on an actual library reading program called Paws. Trained dogs and their handlers visit the library and children spend time reading to the dog. The children gain confidence in their reading skills and actually love to read to a dog who is non judgmental. The dogs just want to curl up and listen to a little voice read to them and the kids have shown remarkable improvement in their reading skills as a result! The book has illustrations and also real life photos of children reading to dogs at the Pleasanton Library."

Goodrich enlisted the students in her children's classrooms for input about how Paws, the main character of the story, should look.

"When I covered a news story about the Paws to Read Program, my immediate thought was that this program needed its own book," Goodrich said. "Someone suggested I write one and so I did. I test read the first draft to my daughter's fourth-grade class and they loved it. They wanted me to make sure Paws the Dog was big, fluffy and they wanted the little boy in the story to have freckles and glasses...and that is exactly what I did."

Goodrich grew up in Pleasanton, attending Lydiksen Elementary as a child and still lives in town.

Goodrich's other books include, "The Little Light Shine's Bright," which is about Livermore's Centennial Light Bulb.  Goodrich wrote about the holiday train of lights in Sunol in her book, "The Train of Lights." She is an avid supporter of the Special Olympics and was inspired to write "I'm Special Because I Smile" after spending time with the athletes at Special Olympics events.

Goodrich added signing books at the Pleasanton Library from 7:45 to 8:30 p.m. on April 23. The Valley Humane Society will have the book for sale in the Children's section of the library between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.

The Paws Reading Program is held every Tuesday at the Pleasanton Library through the month of May. To register or for more information, please call the Children's Desk at 925-931-3400 ext. 8.

Other Patch articles about Goodrich:

• Juliette Goodrich Takes Leap to Raise Money for Bay Area Special Olympics