In England in 1992, two young moms, Nancy Traversy and Tessa Strickland, couldn’t find the kinds of books they wanted for their kids: visually captivating stories that celebrated global awareness and sparked curiosity. So, they started a fledgling children’s publishing company from their homes. Now, 30 years later and based in Concord, MA, Barefoot Books is an award-winning, international business named by Forbes as one of the 25 Best Small Companies in America. The company has published nearly 1,000 titles and put more than 30 million books into children’s hands across the globe while staying true to its founding mission to open children’s hearts, minds, and worlds.
In 1998, Canadian-born co-founder Nancy saw the potential to grow Barefoot in North America and opened their first U.S. office in Brooklyn, NY. With four children under the age of nine, the transatlantic commutes became challenging so, in 2001, Nancy and her husband decided to move to the Boston area. An avid fan of Little Women, Nancy fell in love with the beautiful, historic town of Concord, where she and her family have now lived for over two decades.
Barefoot’s emphasis on multicultural, diverse books put it on the fringes of mainstream publishing, so Nancy had to think out of the box to reach Barefoot’s core audience of discerning parents and educators. Rather than relying on traditional book channels, she adopted an innovative business model with a focus on independent booksellers, specialty retailers, key educational and literacy partners, and local community outreach.
In the early 2010s, when publishers feared that e-books and apps might replace books altogether, Barefoot created its World Atlas app, based on their bestselling book. The app was selected by Apple as one of their top ten apps of all time with more than four million downloads. Barefoot’s YouTube channel, which features animations from their 30 singalong books, has over 440 million views.
Barefoot’s work supports literacy initiatives across the globe. They have partnered with nonprofits like Books for Africa to send 300,000 books to HIV/AIDS orphans in Mozambique and Books4School to support literacy in impoverished areas in the U.S., shipping one million books in 20 languages.
For years, Barefoot brought books to life in colorful studios in Cambridge, MA, on Thoreau Street in Concord, MA, in Oxford, England, and in the flagship FAO Schwarz store in New York City. These community centers became gathering places for families to enjoy storytelling and craft events, pottery, birthday parties, global festivals and more.
In 2021, Barefoot moved from Cambridge, MA, to its colorful new home in the vibrant Bradford Mill community in West Concord from where the global publishing business is run. Barefoot regularly opens its doors to local families and educators for events reminiscent of those held in their studios.
To kick off its 30th anniversary celebrations, Barefoot is thrilled to partner with The Umbrella Arts Center to feature Barefoot Books: 30 Years, 30 Artists, a free, family-friendly, interactive art exhibition showcasing 30 artists from around the world and a three-dimensional timeline of Barefoot’s history. Events include three performances of The Boy Who Grew Flowers, a heartwarming story about empathy and kindness by Manhattan-based dance and theater company, The Treehouse Shakers. All proceeds support The Umbrella Arts Center. Events will run September 9-25. Visit barefootbooks.com/about-us/30th-anniversary-events to learn more and buy tickets.
Scan the QR code to learn more about Barefoot’s 30th anniversary events.
All photos courtesy of Barefoot Books