One of New Zealand's most well-known dogs, Hairy Maclary, turns 25 this week.
And selling a million copies around the world, the renowned series shows just how good New Zealand's children's writers are.
The tale follows a shaggy-haired dog and his canine friends and author and illustrator Lynley Dodd is travelling the country as part of the silver anniversary.
"It seems a long time, but it's very exciting to reach this
point," says Dodd, who is still baffled by her success.
"When I did the first book I didn't imagine it would ever go on to
a second one. Now it's a series of 18."
Hairy Maclary is the top selling New Zealand children's picture book but the record books show Margaret Mahy is our top children's author.
Publishers say the two women bring kudos from across the world but the success comes with hard work and good ideas.
"They have got to be very good fresh ideas you know, sometimes people do come up with an idea that's been done before. It needs to be a fresh idea and the author needs to work at it very, very hard," children's book publisher Ann Mallinson says.
Hairy Maclary is now a well-loved classic and the fluffy dog will return again next year with a 19th book in the series.
