In Beth Finke 's award-winning children’s picture book HANNI AND BETH: SAFE & SOUND (Blue Marlin Publications, 2007), a Seeing Eye dog explains her important job. The book also contains four pages of "Notes," which further describe the Seeing Eye school and how Beth and Hanni became friends and partners. Beth and Hanni lead library and classroom sessions about the book together, demonstrating the rewards of teamwork, animal companionship and perseverance.

During visits, Beth meets with small groups, speaks at large assemblies and/or meets one-on-one with budding authors to encourage them with their writing and explain how she uses a talking computer to read, write, and keep up with the internet.

HANNI AND BETH: SAFE & SOUND won a Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 2008, and the book is available in Braille for children who are blind. Beth reads from the Braille version during presentations. She autographs books in print and in Braille, and (of course!) Hanni’s pawprint is rubber-stamped onto each individual copy.

Beth lives in Chicago. She is an NPR commentator and author of the memoir LONG TIME, NO SEE (University of Illinois Press, 2003). Her work has appeared in Woman’s Day, the Chicago Tribune, Dog Fancy and Dogs for Kids. She teaches a weekly memoir-writing class for senior citizens and works part-time at Easter Seals Headquarters in downtown Chicago, moderating their autism blog. Beth also has a personal blog highlighting the visits she and Hanni take to schools and libraries across the country – you can check out the link to Beth’s Safe & Sound blog on her website.

Contact Information:
Email: info@bethfinke.com
Website: http://www.bethfinke.com