The Voracious Reader began, in part, for want of more bookshelves and always, always, more books. Perhaps, just as wonderful as an overabundance of books, was the thought of scores of eager young readers with whom they might be shared.

We had the very good fortune of opening our doors to just such voracious readers in the spring of 2007. In they flocked with their delighted parents, beloved aunts and uncles, doting grandparents, attentive nannies ... and best of all, their insatiable appetites for wonderful books of all sorts.

After 12 wonderful years and countless delightful memories, we have closed the doors of our bricks-and-mortar shop. When we first opened our store, there was a tremendous need in our community for a truly family-friendly, child respecting place - a place where learning was seen, not as a means to good grades and an ivy league education, but as a great joy of its own sake, right here, right now.

I knew, with our many years as an unschooling family, I could offer that. I could share what I'd seen with my children about how learning happens, and how to create an immersive, imaginative environment to nourish our human desire for such a rich experience.

And too, learning is not a one-way street. I learned, from all of you, how a community can support someone in a time of need, When we lost our beloved 19-year-old son, two years after opening the store, it was this community that brought meals,  brought great kindness and friendship, and most importantly, over the forthcoming years, brought joy and curiosity that echoed the sweet and too-short life of our book-loving boy.

As the years passed, the store evolved to meet the needs of our ever-widening community base. In our view, a bookstore must be so much more than simple product sales. It is about the sharing and shaping of ideas. We felt a strong need to be responsive to the world and people around us, as well as use our platform for positive change. When the election came in 2016, we offered cuddles with our dog Emmet but more importantly, we worked hard to ensure that our shelves offered a diversity so necessary to our times. We hosted postcard parties and talks on topics of race and social justice. We participated in Kidlit March for Our Lives with placard making and gathering in NYC. 

As for what our community needs right now - I am honestly not entirely sure. The overwhelm of the world these past few years has me personally wanting to come home and hide under my bed. Instead, I am taking the 12th anniversary of the bookstore, the 10-year milestone of the loss of our son, and my 68th year, to take a bit of a pause. Had I had the income to keep the store going without my being there every day, perhaps I might have found a middle ground.

I am returning to a home-based life with the same bravado and drive with which I began the bookstore! Naturally, I can't give up my love of children's books, my passion on behalf of children's autonomy, or my desire to share ideas about wholehearted learning. So I will be keeping certain aspects of The Voracious Reader going strong as we move forward. Please look into The Grandparents' Club, Book Baby gift registry, and stay tuned for some additional exciting ideas!

Know that I will greatly miss seeing you face to face, having our amazing conversations, about books and ideas, and life in general. But know, also, how deeply grateful I am for the contribution you have made to my life.

Please feel free to keep in touch. We will retain the same email (info@thevoraciousreader.com) and phone number (914 630-4581). And to reiterate the words I wrote 12 years ago which are every bit as

true today:

" We are family-friendly with a deep caring and respect for young people of all ages and abilities. Our mission is to do our part in nurturing the next generation of book lovers. We do not subscribe to the pedagogical view of “making learning fun.” We believe learning IS fun, challenging, joyful, and very individual and something humans innately desire.  

Let the fun begin!"