Overall Reaction

Overall, I feel like I have gained a better perspective of how those who are visually impaired or blind are represented as a whole group. The professional resource was the most important portion of this project as it gave a clear perspective of the impacts of stereotyping. Unfortunately, it seemed like the amount of children’s literature available to symbolize this group was very limited. I searched for books around the Jackson area and was able to find (available on the shelves) three picture books and one novel. The library I went to was able to order some books from other nearby libraries but I wasn’t to pick them up before returning to East Lansing. The three books I reviewed: Seven Blind Mice, A Guide Puppy Dog Grows Up, and Mom Can’t See Me, were beneficial but not complete in my opinion. It would have been nice to see more contemporary pieces of literature. All three books were written in the early 90s which may not be the most current depiction. My search for positive children’s literature that incorporates people who are visually impaired or blind is not over, I hope to discover more modern books for my children’s collection.

A Guide Dog Puppy Grows Up by Caroline Arnold

Arnold, Caroline. A Guide Dog Puppy Grows Up. 1. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovenovich, 1991.

Caroline Arnold’s book A Guide Dog Puppy grows Up teaches children of all ages how guide dogs become trained. The illustrations are photos of actual guide dogs, the trainers, the workers, and the owners which gives readers an authentic representation. Facts about the program “Guide Dogs for the Blind” are strewn throughout the book and accompanied with real life photos.

This book takes readers through the life of a dog named Honey. The author explains how these puppies are trained to become guide dogs by going through a program called Guide Dogs for the Blind. These puppies are purebred golden retrievers and are chosen for this two-year program because they are “intelligent and seem to enjoy working with people” (Arnold). The book explains that sometimes other types of dogs are trained to be guides, but at Guide Dogs for the Blind golden retrievers are trained. There are over three hundred dogs in this program which is located in San Rafael, California. This campus also houses potential owners of these dogs. This way the owners can slowly become familiar with their new dog and learn how trainers work with the dogs. At some point in the puppies' lives between age six and eleven weeks they are assessed for “alertness, general intelligence, and willingness to learn” (Arnold).

The book points out that since every dog has a different personality, some puppies that are especially shy or overly cautious may not be the best at leading as a guide dog. Up until Honey is twelve weeks old, she is constantly undergoing health tests; vaccinations and deworming. Honey, along with all the other puppies in the program spend the first three months of their lives at the clinic then they are moved to a home of a volunteer family while they grow up. Honey is going to be taken care of by a nine-year-old girl, Amy, and her family. This family is responsible for her for the next 15 months. During this time it is important that the family exposes Honey to the community and helps her become comfortable with being around people.

Once Honey is about a year and a half years old, she is a mature adult and ready to become a guide dog for a person who is blind. Honey is given an extensive check up once she arrives back at the dog campus. There are options for dogs who do not meet the Guide Dog standards, in that situation the dog would be put up for adoption to become a family pet. Only about half of the dogs intended to become guide dogs actually make it through all of the training and become one. Fortunately, Honey makes it through all of the inspections and in about five or six months she will be assigned to someone in need of her aid. Terry is Honey’s instructor who spends time each day working with her on obedience commands. In those six months, the dogs are taken into the community as well as given time to get to know the other dogs so they learn not to be aggressive or dominate.

After the training is completed, two trainers: Terry is blindfolded, another trainer comes to supervise. They walk Honey around the neighborhood as a final assessment of his guiding abilities. As the book explains, “the other trainer isn’t needed this time because Honey guides Terry perfectly, just as she has been taught” (Arnold). Now Honey is fully trained in guiding – she is ready to be matched up with someone who needs her. The books explains that for whatever reason, some who are blind may not want a dog, but anyone who is legally blind over the age of sixteen can apply to have a guide dog. However, they must be interviewed prior to getting a dog to be sure they are responsible and caring so that the dog will be safe and cared for. Not only the dogs are trained – those who apply for a dog must also be trained on how to command the dog. Anne practices on Terry so she can receive feedback if she does something wrong. This training only takes a few days. Finally the day comes when Anne Gelles, Honey’s new owner, gets to meet her new dog. Anne is a teacher for the blind and would like a dog to help her get back and forth from school everyday. The training doesn’t end there though, for three and a half weeks Anne and Honey must live on the campus in order to become more adjusted to each other before Anne takes him to a new home. During this time Anne is also learning about how to care for Honey – how much to fed her and when, how to know when she needs to go outside, and other important things. During this time, new owners take their dogs out into the city in order to practice walking around with the guide dogs. Since dogs cannot read stop lights, it’s impossible for the owner to rely on the dog to know decide when to cross the street. However, as Arnold explains, “Honey does watch traffic, and she will refuse to take Anne across a street if she sees a car coming. This is called “intelligent disobedience,” and it is one way Honey makes sure she and Anne are safe.” After the four week training is completed, a graduation ceremony takes place. Amy’s family is invited as well as other friends or family member who may be interested. Amy is the person who presents Honey to Anne at the ceremony. This concluded the required training for Anne as well as Honey and the two can go home and begin their lives together.

I felt as though this book gave a detailed and comprehensive view of what a guide dog’s life looks like. Those who may not be familiar with guide dogs will gain a better understanding their functions after reading Guide Dog Puppy Grows Up. It is important to be aware of what is acceptable and what is not in terms of approaching a guide dog. For example, Arnold explains, “Even though the animal [guide dog] may look friendly, it is not a good idea to pet it without first asking permission from its blind partner. A dog in harness is at work, and petting it might distract it” (Arnold). The author also included some information about occupations of people who are blind, such as “lawyers, social workers, newspaper reporters, piano tuners, or almost anything else” (Arnold). This message is an important one for people who may have a misconception about what people who are blind are capable of. I would include this book in my collection someday because it promotes curiosity and teaches children (and adults) about something new they may not already know. This book is on a higher reading level, it may be hard for young children to stay focused for as long and as detailed as this book is. Children who are interested in the topic gain a lot of new information and would hopefully be more aware of society as a whole as a result. This may be a book that is read to children since it has a lot of text.