Harley the Hero
Harley the Hero | by Peggy Collins
Harley the service dog is on the job! He goes to school every day with Ms. Prichard to make sure she feels safe. Their students are a lot of fun, but Harley can’t play with them while he’s wearing his work vest. They write him lots of letters instead, and everything is perfect in the best, most quiet class in the whole school. Until the day the old stage curtains catch fire. As the fire alarm blares and chaos erupts, Harley remembers that Ms. Prichard isn’t the only human in his class who gets upset by loud noises. Inspired by a true story, Harley the Hero celebrates the work of service animals and the normalization of neurodivergence.
Distinctions: Winner, 2022 Blue Spruce Award
Ideal for:
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty October 17
Global Accessibility Awareness Day May 19
International Day of Persons with Disabilities December 3
Harley the Hero. Text © 2021 Peggy Collins Illustrations © 2021 Peggy Collins. Reproduced by permission of Pajama Press, Toronto.
“Our class,” declares Jackson, the narrator of Harley the Hero, “is the quietist, most AMAZING class in the whole school.”This overwhelmingly positive beginning has its roots in something difficult. The teacher, Ms. Pritchard, requires the support of a service dog (for reasons the reader cannot see, but which are hinted at in the author’s note). Harley is on the job, making sure Ms. Pritchard is comfortable and that the classroom is a safe environment for her. Simply and joyfully, the story describes how he helps (walks, sits, and lies beside her, helps her feel safe). The students love Harley and the mailbox set up in the classroom for him is always full of letters, gifts, and treats.
As we see Ms. Pritchard go about her daily work with the support of Harley, we also observe that many of the students also require some help with needs both visible and invisible. Amelia, for example, cannot stand noise and has to work with headphones on. Jackson does for Amelia what Harley does for Ms. Pritchard—stays close, watches out for her, and does his best to make her feel safe.
But one day, there is a crisis! The old curtains on the stage catch fire, and soon the school is filled with smoke and the awful clanging of the alarm. While the rest of the class lines up and evacuates, Amelia runs the other way. Only Jackson and Harley notice, and drag Ms. Pritchard back to the classroom, where she finds Amelia hiding under her desk. There is real danger, and a touch of suspense, but it is quickly resolved in the next spread.
Based on a real teacher and her service dog, Harley the Hero is more than a heartwarming story about a brave animal and a close call. It is also a story about what it takes to build a culture of kindness. In this classroom, as in any community, there are people with many different needs. As much as possible, those needs are met through small and compassionate accommodations, and the understanding that caring for one another means doing what you can to ensure no one is left out or left behind.
There are echoes here of Paul’s words about freedom, responsibility, and building up the community in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. “Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other,” he advises (10:24), then goes on to remind the Corinthians, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it” (12:26).
Biblical and Theological Themes: community, safety (Psalm 23), one body with many parts (1 Corinthians 12:12-26), suffering and rejoicing together (1 Corinthians 12:22-26), what love looks like in practice (1 Corinthians 13), the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-26)
Making Connections:
Animal Helpers: Learn more about service animals and the wide range of jobs they do to help people. The Dog Who Saved the Bees by Stephanie Gibault is a recent picture book that tells the true story of a rescue dog who ended up working as a detection dog, saving bees from deadly disease.
Look for the Helpers: Ms. Pritchard is not the only person in the story who needs extra help to feel safe and do her work. Look carefully at the illustrations. Who else needs help? Who is helping? What are they doing? Think about your own community. What sorts of needs to people have? Who needs help to feel safe and do their work? What could be done to help include them and make them feel both safe and welcome?
Write a letter: In this story, the students write letters to Harley to tell him how much they appreciate him and what he does for their class. Think of someone you appreciate. Write a letter to tell them why.
The Lord is My Shepherd: One of the most famous passages in the Bible is Psalm 23, where God is compared to a shepherd who takes care of a flock, leads the sheep to clear water and green grass, and makes sure they are safe and secure. Jesus probably had this psalm in mind when he told his friends, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11). How is Jesus like the shepherd in Psalm 23? Where (and with whom) do you feel most safe? Paint or draw a picture.
