Emily Pilla, holding Skipper the dog, is the author of “The Life of a Weenie Wonder.” She recently read to the residents of Maple Shade Meadows in Nesquehoning, while Skipper greeted the residents. Pilla is pictured with her grandmother, Irene Ligenza, a resident at Maple Shade, and her mother, Louise Pilla. Emily’s book is about the life of Skipper, who is suffering from intervertebral disc disease, which is common among dachshunds. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO