Ready, teddy, go. The University Book Shop opened the Children's Room in its Dunedin shop with the book launch of The Teddy Bear's Promise.
Shop manager Phillippa Duffy said the children's books section used to be ''in a small footprint in the middle of the shop'' but a more ''dynamic'' children's section, with extended range, was now open in the back of the Great King St shop.
''And more room for children, and their parents, to enjoy the books and have a more leisurely time browsing.''
Although bookshops faced a ''tough time'' financially, children's bookshops were ''experiencing a renaissance'' internationally.
Ms Duffy broke down and cried during a speech at the opening.
''It has been a difficult year for the bookshop but it's really tremendous to do something that is positive and engaging and shares my passion for books with the wider Dunedin and Southland public - we have an amazing staff here.''
At the Otago University Students' Association-owned shop, a staff restructuring began in June as Ms Duffy sought to reduce costs in the face of falling revenue. The restructuring resulted in full-time equivalent positions being reduced from 19 to 13.
The new children's section was filled with adults and children yesterday, including children from Bear Park Early Childhood Centre in St Clair, who brought their teddy bears along to the launch.
New Zealand Society of Authors president Kyle Mewburn, of Millers Flat, said the shop was the best bookshop in the universe ''because any bookshop which spends as much time and commitment to children's books is a damn fine bookshop''.
Writer Diana Noonan said she had been writing books for about 30 years, and The Teddy Bear's Promise had ''more meaning'' to her because her adult son Max was leaving home.
''Children will see it as a beautiful story about a little boy and a bear and adults are picking up this is about the grief that we experience as we let children go, and how we must let them go to have a healthy relationship with them.''
