The opening of a new children’s bookshop in Herne Hill has received a positive response from the community.
The Paper Cat Children’s Bookshop opened on Saturday 14th September, replacing Tales on Moon Lane, a children’s bookshop that closed last July.
Founders Frann Preston-Gannon and Anja Stobbart claimed to feel a loss in the community when the bookshop shut down, and felt it was important to have a local, independent bookshop for children in the area.
Stobbart said: “We really wanted to keep a children’s bookshop here. To lose a bookshop is really too big a thing.”
Preston-Gannon added: “We couldn’t have hoped for more on that opening weekend. It was absolutely beautiful.
“People are so happy this is here, I think that’s what’s been so emotional for us.”
“Physical bookshops are so important because it creates a space where children have the agency to choose what they want to buy.
“It’s not an algorithm telling you this is the book you would like, it’s children being able to choose what they want to read.”
She described the event as ‘like an iPhone launch’ with the shop full from opening to closing time.
However, what they noted the most was the goodwill of the general public.
Someone dropped off some pastries on the morning of the opening while another person gave them a bottle of champagne.
In their eyes, it exemplified the area’s gratitude for the bookshop.
Mother of two May said she felt very sad when Tales on Moon Lane closed.
She added that The Paper Cat is a really lovely place to bring her children after school to help try and inspire them.
Rew, the mother of an eight-year-old boy, felt it was a great place to see books before purchasing them, as well as to get good recommendations.
Both Preston-Gannon and Stobbart were thinking about opening a bookshop before Preston-Gannon’s father brought the two women together.
They started working with the Stepping Into Stories Festival earlier this year, aiming to bring authors into schools that may not have the money to get them in.
The festival became a stepping stone into the bookshop’s independent work to facilitate events with schools, authors and publishers, helped by their status as one of a few dedicated bookshops for children.
One of the key values for the bookshop is inclusivity.
Both women strive to create a welcoming environment for all.
They are in the process of brainstorming ways to become as inclusive as possible, including baby and toddler times, story times and relaxed mornings for children who may benefit from a quieter environment.
Overall, the heart of their aim is to find the right book for the right child, while also providing a welcoming space in the local community.
You can follow The Paper Cat Children’s Bookshop on Instagram @Papercatbooks or check out their website here.
Photos provided by Frann Preston-Gannon
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