Alan Finkel did the picture-book reading honours at the National Library of Australia for yesterday’s simultaneous story-reading event, as part of Library Week. The Chief Scientist read Hickory Dickory Dash (commitment and perseverance is rewarded as diligent mother mouse finds missing sons). He followed ANU VC Brian Schmidt who last year read a story about a cow who fails many times before successfully jumping over the moon ( CMM May 25 2017). CMM suspects there is a pattern here.