A Connecticut Bookstore Giving a Voice to All One Book at a Time

Arjun Atluri with Paul DeJohn, owner of Syd's Bookshack

An independent bookstore and nonprofit, Syd’s Book Shack and Boutique carries a unique inventory of used books and handcrafted items in Madison, CT. Strolling through the aisles of the bookstore, you will find cozy reading nooks, puzzles, games and shelves filled with books which are color coded according to price. The team regularly hosts community activities such as an annual book festival and it is a popular place for school field trips. However, this is not an ordinary bookstore. Syd’s Book Shack has a powerful mission to help individuals find their voice.

The bookstore raises funds to purchase communication devices, known as talkers (iPads with speech program), for children who are nonverbal. Additionally, its team offers job skills training to those in need. Paul DeJohn and Meredith Daggett created Syd’s Book Shack in honor of their daughter Sydney. As a child, she was diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum among other conditions including apraxia which is a motor speech disorder that makes it hard to speak. Sydney uses a talker to express herself and her family wanted to extend this same opportunity to other children with limited resources who face similar challenges.

During a recent visit to Syd’s Book Shack, Paul DeJohn, the owner of the bookstore, shared more about their incredible mission. Below are highlights from our conversation edited for length and clarity.

What inspired you to start Syd’s Book Shack & Boutique?

Sydney is my daughter. She is nonverbal and on the autism spectrum. We were doing a school project for her and were going to do a little free library at The Guilford Green. We put it out on Facebook and the next thing we know, people start showing up at our house with cases of books and we decided to open a small bookstore in Guilford in 2021. Two and half years ago, we expanded and moved to this location in Madison. 

What is the best part about running this bookstore?

We have an unlimited amount of books I get to read and also help people.

Since you started the bookstore, what are some of the challenges you faced?

Being a nonprofit, you always run into grants and grant writing. Being between two fairly large new bookstores in the area, we are lucky that we get a lot of books through donations, so we haven't had any major challenges as far as getting books. The hardest part is getting our name out there and doing it on a budget.

How do you choose books and activities for kids who visit Syd's Book Shack? Which are the most popular?

We try and get the best quality books on the shelves first. We also sell books online and to other bookstores throughout the U.S. There is a database that we scan the books into and ship them out. We ship out about 20 cases of books per week.

The most popular books are The Baby-sitters Club, Dr. Suess, Ramona Quimby, and as far as the adults go it's always Freida McFadden and Colleen Hoover and other bestselling authors.

What genres or types of books are currently most popular among children at Syd's Book Shack?

Typically, in the summertime, kids learn about animals, so non-fiction is very popular at this time of year. During school, fiction, fantasy and manga are most popular.

What strategies do you use to encourage children to read more?

We typically will give away a lot of books. As much as we are a nonprofit, we also want to make sure kids are reading because everything is going to be on a kindle or phone and we want kids to get that feel of having a book in their hands. We offer discounts to teachers and do events and sales just for kids’ books.

Can you share any notable trends or observations about children's reading habits that you've seen in your store? Or changes in reading preferences over the years?

The slightly older YA books have really tapered off and they don’t sell like they used to. Most of the books that we tend to sell now are some of the classics – Curious George, and Dr. Suess.

What do you hope people feel when they visit Syd’s?

At home. We want them to feel comfortable. We don’t follow you around trying to sell you books. We don’t believe in high pressure sales that other bookstores do. We want you to walk around and relax and enjoy the store and enjoy everything we have to offer.

Why is a sense of community important when helping children learn how to love to read?

I think we always have to give back to the community. We do different events. Scholastic Book Fairs are a great way for kids to continue to read. The books are right there in front of them and they have the opportunity to pick out the books they like.

Can you share a memorable story or experience from Syd's Book Shack that highlights the impact of reading on kids?

We have some young kids who first visited the store and now happen to come more often just for books. It's a good feeling to see these young kids with a growing desire to read.

Sydney's journey with her talker is inspiring. Are you able to share how many people you’ve helped get talkers to? 

We have helped 37 people. In the beginning, the first 6-8 months of the store, we were limited because we were just starting out. Then we partnered up with a few speech pathology companies and they have brought us people who couldn’t afford them or school won’t provide them. We believe that these kids need to have the ability to communicate which is going to help with their growth and have a future. 

Are you able to share how many books have been donated to Syd’s Book Shack?

About 17,000-18,000 books are on the shelves right now. We have a storage unit containing at least 50,000-60,000 books. We have probably more than 250,000 books donated.

What was your favorite childhood book and why? 

Star Wars Series and books about Hockey players.

What subject do you wish was taught in schools that is not currently taught?

Cursive writing and being able to count money. We provide job skills training and I have noticed kids with difficulty counting change. They don't understand the concept of giving change in cash.

In three words, what is your hope for future generations?

Strength, Drive, and Positivity