Our Published Books
At SitStayRead, we use dogs to inspire and help teach foundational literacy skills. We created a series of diverse early readers written by SitStayRead students for SitStayRead students and beyond!
Written by SitStayRead Students
It is no secret that there is a lack of diversity and inclusivity when it comes to children’s books. At SitStayRead, we use dogs to inspire and help teach foundational literacy skills. The reality is that finding early readers that feature both dogs and characters of color is a challenge. Tired of waiting for someone else to create those books, we decided to publish our own line of inclusive early readers. Partnering with local children’s author J.B. Blankenship, various funders, and iconic Chicago cultural institutions, we created writing workshops for our students to write their own stories. In short, we created a series of diverse early readers written by SitStayRead students for SitStayRead students and beyond!
SitStayRead teaches foundational literacy skills to our kindergarten-3rd Grade Chicago students, with the help of Certified Reading Assistance Dogs. We introduce early readers to children’s books that center diversity, inclusivity, and sometimes ~ dogs! These books may be purchased using the links below.
Please note that the all proceeds from the sale of these books goes directly back to supporting SitStayRead and literacy education.
Hazel’s Happy Home
Written for children ages 5 through 8, this book follows Hazel, an adopted dog, as she recounts daily activities with her family. Whether eating treats, playing at daycare, or listening to bedtime stories, Hazel contrasts the love of her current life with feeling lonely before she was adopted.
This book was made possible because of the generosity of The Dogtopia Foundation. SitStayRead facilitated a writing workshop with second grade students from Chicago Public School Charles Evans Hughes Elementary School. As part of our social-emotional curriculum, students were asked to think about what emotions a dog might feel and how she may show those emotions throughout the day. The stories and poems the students wrote provided the inspiration for this book.
Buy “Hazel’s Happy Home” on Amazon
Where are you, Dozer?
Written for children ages 5 through 8, this story follows Dozer, a little dog excited to play hide-and-seek at the aquarium. Join Dozer and his aquatic friends as he tries to find the perfect hiding place while learning how sea creatures blend into their environment.
This book was made possible because of the generosity from the Perucca Family Foundation. SitStayRead took two second-grade classrooms from partner school Funston Elementary on a field trip to the Shedd Aquarium to learn about marine animals, write stories, and provide the inspiration for this book!
Not Today, Aliens!
Written for children ages 5 through 8, this story follows Fluffy and her friends as they stop aliens from invading the art museum and stealing priceless paintings and statues.
This book was made possible because of the generosity from the Perucca Family Foundation. SitStayRead took two second-grade classrooms from partner school Fuller Elementary on a field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago to learn about art that featured dogs at the museum, write stories, and provide the inspiration for this book!
Cozy Fan Tooty
Written for ages 5 through 8, this story focuses on Mr. Barkely’s classroom where students think reading and writing are boring! But the students soon change their minds when Mr. Barkely introduces them to a magic book, his talking dog named Cozy Fan Tooty, and a host of fun and exciting adventures.
This book was made possible because of the generosity from Flavio Arana and Matthew Kippenhan. Click below to preview and purchase this book!
Help Chicago Students Become Confident Readers
When young students build strong literacy skills early, their confidence grows– in the classroom and beyond. Help support Chicago early literacy programs by donating or becoming a volunteer.