
Press Room
Kari Kurjiaka Named Project Director for Diverse Books for All Coalition; Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators Joins the Coalition
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 25, 2023) – Kari Kurjiaka has been named project director for the national Diverse Books for All Coalition. Most recently, Kurjiaka served as senior manager of literacy & external affairs for Reach Out and Read of Greater New York, a founding member of the coalition. In addition, the Society… Read More

Our Bookshelf
10 Scary (And Semi-Scary) Stories for Kids and Teens
Scary stories let readers explore their fears or indulge their cravings for high-stimulation content in a safe, controlled space – between the pages of a book. To help you get started, the wonderful team behind the curation of First Book’s Marketplace has selected 10 books that offer gentle seasonal content… Read More

Press Room
Nonprofits Join Forces to Expedite Access to Diverse and Affordable Children’s Books
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Supports the Initiative with $1 Million Grant to First Book WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 18, 2022) – Twenty-seven nonprofits and membership organizations from across the U.S. are joining forces to tackle a common challenge that has impeded children’s literacy for decades: the lack of high-quality, affordable children’s books by… Read More

Focus on First Book, For Educators
Helpful Resources for Educators during Banned Books Week
As we go into Banned Books Week, the news about unprecedented efforts to unjustly ban books from schools and libraries has never felt more urgent. Here at First Book, we have an intentional commitment to providing diverse, honest, and affirming titles on the Marketplace. We… Read More

Press Room
First Book and Room to Read Come Together to Distribute 30,000 Books in Dari and Pashto to Refugee and Immigrant Afghan Children
The Collaboration Taps into Strengths of Each Organization to Answer this Critical Need September 8, 2022 (Washington D.C.) — First Book, the largest online network of educators serving children in need, and Room to Read, the global education organization creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality, today announced… Read More

First Book Community Highlight, Focus on First Book, For Educators, Impact Stories
Meet First Book’s 550,000th member: NYC educator Tamika
This summer, Tamika made First Book history by becoming the 550,000th educator to join the First Book Network. A teacher at a middle school in the New York public school system, Tamika attended a Reading Opens the World book give-away held in the Bronx by the United Federation… Read More

Press Room
First Book and Education Researcher Susan Neuman Launch Groundbreaking Classroom Library Tool as Students Struggle to Access Literacy Rich Environments
Educator Survey Spotlights Inequity and Financial Hurdles of Building an Engaging and Effective Classroom Library WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 17, 2022) – First Book, the largest online network of educators serving children in need, in partnership with literacy expert and education researcher Susan Neuman, is launching a new tool… Read More

Our Partners
It’s Challenging to Stay Focused and Use Self-Control—But There Are Strategies that Work
This post was written in collaboration with the Mind in the Making team. As life begins to return to pre-pandemic days, more and more demands seem thrown our way—more appointments, events, commutes, and things on our to-do list. With our busier schedules come lots of pressures. Sometimes it’s… Read More

Author Voices
Q&A with Marissa Meyer: Celebrating 10 Years of Cinder
Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran… Read More

Press Room
First Book, an Innovative Leader in Education Equity, Releases Groundbreaking Research Illustrating the Impact of COVID-19 on Emotional Wellness of Students in Underserved Communities
Nearly One Thousand Educators Participated; Report that over half (53%) of the students they serve struggle with their mental health. WASHINGTON, April 5, 2022—First Book, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring education equity for children living in poverty, today announced the results of a national survey designed to identify emotional… Read More