Beth Finke

Hanni and Beth: Safe & Sound is told from the view point of Hanni, a seeing eye dog. Hanni explains her job and how she keeps Beth safe. The book does a good job of explaining a guide dog's role, and is helpful in explaining to children that they should not pet guide dogs. I found the writing to be unimaginative and repetitive, and the illustrations to be a bit bland. I think the only reason I would read this to a class would be to help explain service animals and their roles in our society. The focus of the book is on Hanni, the dog, rather than Beth, the human, but I did like the additional pages at the back of the book that explained a little more about Beth. It explained why she needed a guide dog, and how having Hanni with her gave her a sense of independence - something everyone, even/especially those with disabilities, finds rewarding.… (meer)