Goddard Riverside Book Fair Brings Community Together

School librarian Rhonda Rigrodsky stocked up on books for her students.

The 29th Annual Goddard Riverside Book Fair was a bestseller, drawing readers from around the city to get brand-new books at half price.

Our longtime supporters in the publishing industry donated an especially strong selection of books this year.  MacArthur Award-winner Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me, Aziz Ansari’s Modern Romance and Patti Smith’s M Train were just a few of the bestsellers that flew off the Hot Titles table. The cooking section boasted offerings from stars like Bobbie Flay, Ruth Reichl and Martha Stewart, while the children’s room was stocked with beautiful picture books and plenty of installments of Goosebumps.

School librarian Rhonda Rigrodsky walked out with several large bags of books for the Upper East Side’s Birch Wathen Lenox School. Others piled up books, calendars and cards for holiday gifts.

One shopper told NY1 News that the sale was getting her second-grader interested in reading.

 “Just having him actually go through books and pick books and see his excitement really helps,” she said.

The Book Fair is a community event, organized and staffed largely by publishers and Goddard supporters who’ve been doing it for years. Neighbors bumped into neighbors in the aisles, while the volunteers working behind the tables chatted in between sales.

The fair started three decades ago as a way to support Goddard Riverside’s programs for homeless people. It has since expanded to fund all 26 of our programs, including our services for elders, children, and families.

We are deeply grateful to the publishers who donate books and the volunteers who give so generously of their time to make this event possible.