Do you remember how you met your childhood best friend? Not where or when you met them, but how you met them. Did you bond over a favorite crayon or say hi at the swings? Maybe they invited you to their lunch table in the cafeteria? As with any relationship,... Read more
Curling up with a book in the winter is great, but is there anything better than reading in the sunshine? First Book’s Book Nerds (a.k.a. the Title Selection & Merchandising teams) love tackling their to-be-read shelves during the summer months, so each staff member has selected four books they recommend... Read more
Every May, the First Book family celebrates the Month of Mo and all the amazing stories that Mo Willems has brought to our network educators and their students. We celebrate with giveaways, Marketplace credits for teachers to stock their bookshelves, and by rereading our favorite Elephant & Piggie adventures. As... Read more
My mother was a high-school biology teacher for 32 years, every week was Teacher Appreciation Week in our house. To say I understood her impact on a child’s life is an understatement, but I hear of her impact often. “Oh, you’re Ms. Awad’s daughter? She was the best teacher I... Read more
In 1992, First Book began with a mission to provide brand-new books to children in need. Throughout the years, the mission has stayed constant, but the needs have changed and expanded. Nearly 30 years later First Book continues to build a path out of poverty through educational equity and breaking... Read more
To combat anti-Asian bias and discrimination, more educators are teaching about—and celebrating—the Asian American community. To assist educators, First Book is highlighting the breadth of Asian and Asian American stories. Our Marketplace Senior Manager of Merchandising, Yukari Matsuyama, put together the following list of 14 books to help learners of... Read more
In 2019, First Book surveyed its network of educators, with the intention to provide additional resources that would help them proactively engage their students in conversations about race. These findings helped create a series of free resources that were informed by leading anti-bias and antiracist (ABAR) experts like Britt Hawthorne,... Read more
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Children’s Day, Book Day on April 30 — the kickoff of a year-long commitment to celebrate reading! First Book is excited to celebrate with author, Pat Mora, to share bookjoy and to help motivate children to read throughout the year. We connected with... Read more
For many of us, Earth Day reminds of our childhood lessons to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and perhaps recalls memories of school-wide competitions, for which homeroom could bring in the most recycled items. Pizza parties for the win! But now, Earth Day is and can be so much more, with many... Read more
Long-time educators and new Marketplace shoppers know that First Book is on a mission to build a path out of poverty through educational equity. Brand-new books are an essential part of the work we do, but the Marketplace also boasts additional supplies that go beyond books to help learners of... Read more