The Wandering Lantern Is Northeast Ohio’s First Children’s Bookstore

After Cleveland realtor Michael Plant discovered an empty storefront online, he immediately saw the possibility — specifically, the opportunity of a lifetime for his partner Emily Mitchell-Polci. There was no hesitation as to what needed to come next.

Within months, Mitchell-Polci’s dream had come true. The Wandering Lantern bookstore opened its doors in Lakewood on Nov. 29 and invited in a community of creativity. 

“Children’s books sit at the intersection of everything I love — art, storytelling, humor and imagination,” says Mitchell-Polci, 38. “Opening the store felt like a natural extension of that obsession.”

The Wandering Lantern, located at 15729 Madison Ave., is Northeast Ohio’s first bookstore dedicated to children’s literature. Nestled in a family-centered area, near Wagar Park and Harding Middle School, The Wandering Lantern welcomes childlike curiosity and imagination. 

For Mitchell-Polci, a third- and fourth-grade reading and writing teacher at Birchwood of Hawken and mother of four, the idea of opening a bookstore, specifically one for children, had been forming for years — rooted in a deep affection for stories written with imagination and heart. 

Some of her favorite memories revolve around books: her mother reading Laura Ingalls Wilder aloud, and her own delight in discovering the quirky, “slightly off-color humor” of Shel Silverstein and Roald Dahl.

“Honestly, I think children’s literature is better than adult literature. It’s more creative, more surprising and far less repetitive,” says Mitchell-Polci. “The best children’s books are imaginative, funny and visually interesting — and they’re willing to be a little silly. Good children’s authors haven’t forgotten how to see the world with wonder, and that’s rare.”

Mitchell-Polci brings the literary vision, and Plant often sees things from the business perspective. Together, the West Park residents saw a gap in the children’s literature scene that The Wandering Lantern fulfills. 

“In Lakewood, generally, a lot more businesses cater to adults. So, I think just being family-friendly was something like a gap that we were trying to fill,” says Plant, 45. “So, gearing towards not just younger kids, but also middle grades, and as they're going up, we want to keep that passion going. Libraries do a lot of work around that, but, from a business standpoint, I think we're doing that, and also creating a community. We call it a literary community.”

READ MORE: The Viridian Bookshop Marks a New Chapter for Downtown Willoughby

The Wandering Lantern caters to all ages, from babies and toddlers all the way through young adult novels. With all the book curation done by Mitchell-Polci, she focuses on classic, medal-award-winning books and newer books that are “highly imaginative, visually strong and genuinely surprising.”

Both hope to see The Wandering Lantern become a gathering place, a haven where families intentionally come to start fueling their creativity. 

“I hope it supports families who want to live a little more intentionally, less screen-driven, more analog, like how I grew up in the ’90s, wild and free,” says Mitchell-Polci. “The store is meant to help build a community around reading aloud, creativity and shared attention, starting in the home.”

The vision has already begun to take hold. Plant points out that the Lakewood community has responded amazingly and embraced the store since its opening.

“We've even had moms and different community members volunteer to help us out with story time,” he says. 

With plenty of positive feedback and engagement from families, they plan to expand not just the physical space of the store, but the sense of community and programming they offer.

“I want to deepen that sense of community through thoughtful programming, partnerships and a continued commitment to curating books that stand the test of time,” says Mitchell-Polci, “rather than chasing trends.”

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