WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush helped read a Christmas classic to third-graders in a light-hearted ceremony disrupted by a "near riot" of school children frightened by his black Scottish terrier.Bush exchanged winks and jokes with the nearly 60 school children gathered in the Roosevelt Room on Tuesday as first lady Laura Bush read from "The night before Christmas."
Bush, who handed off the book to his wife after reading just one page aloud, complemented the children on their "nice boots" and exclaimed, "Pretty exciting so far isn't it?"
Many of the children were startled when the dog, Barney, entered the room unexpectedly.
"He's pretty ferocious looking when you first look at him," Bush said of the overly eager little black dog, conceding the surprise "created a near riot."
