New parents will be gifted free children's books at the Launceston General Hospital following a donation from Riverside Primary School in honour of a beloved colleague.
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The boxes of books were gifted to the hospital's post-natal ward to celebrate and honour teacher Denise Lyons, who died this year.
Riverside Primary School literacy teaching coach Bec Van Est said Ms Lyons passion for promoting literature for children inspired the school community to make a donation in her memory.
"Denise would promote this love of literature in children - the standout quality of her as a teacher was her passion for putting books in front of kids," Ms Van Est said.
"And it's vital to see [young children] develop a real love of literature, not just not just an ability to read, but a real love for the process of reading."
The donation now means parents will have the option to choose one of the books to take home with them after being discharged, providing them the opportunity to make an early start on their child's reading journey.
Among the books include classics of Australian children's literature such as Possum Magic, Wombat Stew, and The Magic Hat - books Ms Van Est said had stood the test of time as "quality literature for kids".
"There are books in there that new parents will read to their kids that maybe were read to them when they were little," she said.
As part of the donation, the school has also attached an insert to each book which mentions Denise's work, and gives a reminder to read to their child every day.
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