Dogs made their way to an Auckland library today to celebrate the 40th birthday of iconic canine Hairy Maclary.
For 40 years, Hairy Maclary has been entertaining kids and bigger kids across the world.
Stories of the badly behaved dog going on adventures with his friends have captivated young and old for decades.
He's the creation of Kiwi author and literary royalty Lynley Dodd.
"I have to pinch myself when these things happen. It is extraordinary. It feels like 40 years mind you," Dodd laughed.
But the book almost never happened.
In the early 1980s, she was working on another project when her publisher told her to come up with a new idea.
"It was panic stations really because writers don't usually think of things quite so quickly, but luckily in my ideas book there was a little piece of paper which had the beginnings of Hairy Maclary on it. So I thought well in order to get one done at all I better get going on this one."
The stories have since captured the imagination of kids all around the world.
More than 11 million copies have been sold, with translations in several languages, including te reo Māori.
The book has been picked up by several notable figures, including Queen Camilla and Jacinda Ardern — there was even a play.
"I think it is a combination of things that make it an enduring classic," Auckland Library's James Dunning said.
"There is the amazing art, everybody loves animals, and there's the beautiful illustrations of cats and dogs and birds, all sorts of different creatures. But also there's the wonderful rhythm to it, so it makes it really fun to read."
Publisher Penguin House is now on the hunt for a Hairy Maclary lookalike or a dog that would fit in with his gang of ruffians.
The author herself gets the final say.
"I can't wait to go through those because it's hilarious looking at the photos," Dodd said.
Meanwhile, the books are on display as part of the birthday celebrations.
The old classics are just as popular today.
"As soon as we set them up, some of them are gone already," Dunning said.
"We've got some of the classics, like Hairy Maclary's Bone, or my favourite when I was little, Hairy Maclary's caterwaul caper."
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