A heart-warming dog tale about an abandoned pooch searching for acceptance stopped Australian school children in their tracks yesterday for the 2008 annual National Simultaneous Storytime literary extravaganza.

Children from Maitland, Broome, Hobart and all the places in between gathered at their respective libraries as storytellers across the country read the picture book Arthur to more than a quarter of a million Australian children.

Maitland councillor Wendy White told the tale of Arthur at Maitland City Library and local vet Ian Gollan shared the story with children at East Maitland Library.

Maitland children’s author Kim Pryor carried the storytime mantle at Thornton Library.

“Children’s books are fantastic and picture books in particular have really come into their own during the past decade,” Cr White said.

“But I think the thing about Arthur is that it’s a lovely story about an animal with a happy ending, which the kids will love.”

Now in its eighth successful year, National Simultaneous Storytime 2008 aims to celebrate and acknowledge the vital work being done in libraries, schools and communities around Australia to develop young people’s literacy and numeracy skills.