Press Room
PBS and First Book Partner With Publishers to Bring 350,000 Books to Kids in Need
Books Donated by Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette Book Group are Available to PBS Stations Nationwide as Part of THE GREAT AMERICAN READ WASHINGTON (September 19, 2018) – First Book and PBS are partnering to distribute more than 350,000 brand new books to children in… Read More
Focus on First Book
The Cost of Empty Bookshelves: Kyle Zimmer, First Book President, Co-founder, and CEO
Empty bookshelves in school libraries, kids without backpacks or lunch or socks, educators shelling out an average of $500 a year to outfit their classrooms–this is why we do what we do at First Book. And this year, we have the opportunity to make sure that every back-to-school start is… Read More
Author Voices
Redefining Youthful Rebellion: YA Authors on Social Justice
“I think young people have something to say, and I think that they do the best they can to say it and sometimes the language isn’t there, but we as adults have an obligation and a responsibility to hear the things that aren’t being said–and to help them carve the… Read More
Focus on First Book
Become a Champion for Kids in Need
This post first appeared on the First Book blog on July 1, 2016. You have the power to change a child’s life by doing what you love. By hosting First Book campaigns, hundreds of people have provided books and resources to children in need. They’ve asked friend and family to… Read More
Focus on First Book
What if Educators Had Everything They Needed? Kyle Zimmer, First Book President, Co-founder, and CEO
By Kyle Zimmer, president, co-founder, and CEO of First Book. This post first appeared on Medium on June 12, 2018. A Texas elementary school media specialist recently shared a 43-second video that blew me away. In the video, a young boy named Isaiah holds a book… Read More
Author Voices, For Educators
I AM LITTLE RED: Teaching Kids About Child Trafficking
Wolves can come in all shapes and sizes. Do I have your attention now? Mary Mazzio with Ricky Martin. Mazzio and her team received the Ricky Martin Foundation’s Tau Humanitarian Award for I AM LITTLE RED. So warns Lady J, the animated version of Academy Award-nominee Jessica Chastain, as she… Read More
For Educators, Our Partners
Inclusive and Accessible: Ensuring Stories Really Are For All
Two years ago, First Book partnered with the NEA Foundation and Lee & Low Books to expand the Stories for All Project™, First Book’s initiative to increase the diversity in children’s books. As a continuation of our shared commitment to ensuring that diverse, inclusive books are both abundant… Read More
Focus on First Book
Another Setback for Kids in Need
We already know that kids from low-income households are at a disadvantage from the start. They are more likely to attend schools with fewer resources, face poor health outcomes, and experience crime, violence, and limited access to job opportunities than their counterparts from middle- and high-income households. Consider that more… Read More
Press Room
BECOMING: Penguin Random House to Mark Release of Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Memoir With Donation of One Million Children’s Books to First Book in Obama Family’s Name
Former First Lady of the U.S. Michelle Obama Reveals the Book Cover for her Memoir, “BECOMING,” Scheduled for November 13, 2018, Global Publication New York, New York (May 24, 2018)—Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama revealed today on Instagram the book cover of her… Read More
Our Bookshelf
Great Children’s Books for Adults
Authored by Caitlyn Maltese on October 12, 2017. Updated on May 17, 2018. Children’s books are not just for children. As educators and program leaders, children’s and young adult books can be an essential tool to help you learn how to connect with the children you serve. By reading… Read More