Author Archive: First Book Staff

Creative Ways to Use Plush Toys in the Classroom

Posted in: Our Bookshelf

Plush Toys are much more than cute classroom decorations. They can be powerful tools for creating spaces where kids are excited and motivated to read and learn! The First Book Marketplace is home to a large selection of educational resources available at affordable prices to the members of our Network. We strive... Read more

Q&A with Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Author Partner, Tom Angleberger

Posted in: Uncategorized

What could be better than pizza and books? For us at First Book, not much! Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT! program will provide 10,000 books to classrooms for the 2019-2020 school year via First Book to encourage students to find joy in reading. We spoke with this year’s BOOK IT! author... Read more

Imagine A School Without A Library

Posted in: Impact Stories

Ed. Note: Originally posted in April 2016, the significance of abundant, diverse school libraries still holds relevancy today. Libraries are the gatekeepers to cultural, social, and individual growth and must continue acting as an inviting, welcoming development hub for students and teachers. Today’s guest blog post is by bestselling children’s... Read more

First Book Resource: Diversity & Inclusion Cultural Calendar

Posted in: For Educators

Kids learn better when they feel safe and supported. At First Book, our focus is on making all kids feel welcome wherever they are. That’s one reason why we created The 2022 – 2023 School Year Calendar Celebrating Culture, Diversity & Inclusion. This free tool was designed to help educators... Read more

First Book Interns Celebrate National Intern Day!

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Uncategorized

Today is National Intern Day (it might sound like a fake holiday, but if there can be a National Lumpy Rug Day, then certainly we can celebrate the growing professionals of America)!  If you’re an intern with First Book, there are so many reasons to celebrate. Get to know some... Read more

How to Host Your Own Backpack Build: 10 Tips and Tricks

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Our Partners

A “backpack build” is a great event to engage any group of volunteers who want to make a difference for children in need. At a backpack build, volunteers fill backpacks with books, school supplies, and other learning essentials. The bags are then delivered to kids who need them most! Hosting... Read more

Educator Resource: The First Book Trauma Toolkit

Posted in: First Book Research & Insights, For Educators

We want all students to be happy, healthy, and prepared to reach their highest potential. These aspirations are most often possible when children have environments that provide safety, support, love, and nurturing. Unfortunately, this is far from reality for almost half of the children in the United States – about... Read more

Celebrate Diversity and Inclusion In Your Classroom

Posted in: For Educators

As the U.S. population becomes more and more diverse, the need to embrace the many cultures in our classrooms is more important than ever. When a student’s learning environment respects their history, values, beliefs, and behaviors, students and their families are better positioned to thrive in school. Many educators said... Read more

11 Books to Read If You Loved ‘The Hate U Give’

Posted in: Our Bookshelf

When we here at First Book first read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, we knew we had to get this title into the hands of the educators and kids we serve. We knew many young readers would see themselves in Starr, the book’s protagonist, and others would use... Read more

Three Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Your Students

Posted in: For Educators

Every year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. The celebration emphasizes the histories, traditions, and contributions of our Spanish and Latine ancestors – so that year-round, we can take pride in the diversity of our country, and its resulting strength.  It’s a great time... Read more