Paiges Bookshop in Guyton St celebrated the inaugural New Zealand Bookshop Day on Saturday with balloons and a Wanganui book launch and piano accompaniment.
Bookshop owner Lesley Stead said it was a great way to celebrate books and the pleasure they bring to children and adults.
"Mark Christiansen of Heritage Food Crops Research Trust commissioned writer and illustrator Janet Bradbury to produce the children's book Jessica and the Golden Orb.
"Mark got sponsorship to have the book printed and they are giving copies out for free and we were distributing them here yesterday."
Mrs Stead said the NZ Bookshop day is an awareness raising day to help people celebrate the joy of reading in our lives and that we are fortunate to live in a community where there are book shops.
Although this is the first year that New Zealand has held a national day to celebrate book shops, versions of National Bookshop Day have been celebrated around the world.
Australia holds National Bookshop Day, the United Kingdom holds Books are my Bag and the United States holds Indie Bookstore Day.
Paiges Bookshop have been holding an adult colouring competition which is yet to be judged and a Lonely Planet contest for children is under way.
Mrs Stead said the prizes are Lonely Planet books and entry forms can be collected from the shop.
"A number of schools are already taking part and any schools that would like to participate can collect them from the shop as well."
While Bookshop Day was being celebrated inside, Alan Johnston was providing some background music on the community piano outside.