Arthur is an animated series that airs daily on PBS Kids. Aimed at viewers between the ages of four and eight, Arthur's goal is to help foster an interest in reading and writing and to encourage positive social skills. Based on the children's books by Marc Brown, Arthur premiered in 1996 as one of the first ongoing animated programs based on a book series. The show chronicles the adventures of Arthur (an eight-year-old aardvark) through engaging, emotional stories that explore issues faced by real kids. It is a comedy that tells these stories from a kid's point of view without moralizing or talking down. Situations on Arthur develop in realistic ways, and don't always turn out as we – or Arthur and his friends – might expect.