Author Archives: Samantha McGinnis

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For Educators

Five Tips for Summer-Long Learning

This blog was originally posted July 1, 2014. It has been updated with new outbound links. Guest blogger Tina Chovanec is the director of Reading Rockets: the authoritative online source for comprehensive and accessible information about teaching young children to read and helping those… Read More
Author Voices

I Pledge Allegiance

This blog was originally posted on June 20, 2014. It has been updated with new outbound links. Today’s guest blog post is by Libby Martinez, co-author of the children’s book I Pledge Allegiance, on teaching kids to be proud of the place they were born while being a proud American. Read More
For Educators, Impact Stories

How To Make Reading Fun and Create Lifelong Readers

Brian Smith is on a mission: make reading fun and create lifelong readers. An educator at Newton Conover City Schools in North Carolina, Brian, called upon author Jarrett J. Krosoczka to bring books to life. Brian stocked each fourth-grade classroom in his district with several copies of all ten books… Read More
Our Bookshelf

Monthly Book List: Our Five Favorite Books this July

Our favorite books this July include the final Elephant and Piggie book. a book to inspire community engagement and creativity, the story of one of your kids’ favorite summertime toys, a captivating novel for animal lovers and a smart and suspenseful novel for mature readers. Read on to see all… Read More
For Educators

Win Games and Activities to Make Learning Fun All Summer Long!

  Looking for creative ways to make learning fun in your summer program? Want to ward off summer boredom? Need activities to keep parents engaged in their child’s learning while school is out? Simply answer the question “How would you use these activities to encourage summer learning?” by… Read More
Impact Stories

You Have The Power to Change a Child’s Life

  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 make donations to their campaign instead of purchasing  birthday gifts. Others have… Read More
Our Bookshelf

Monthly Book List: Our Favorite Books this June

Are you looking for a giggle-filled bedtime story? A book about friendship and the summer Olympics? You’ll find that and so much more in our favorite books this month… Teach kids to coding this summer with a fun story, learn about the history of jazz musicians in the 1950s or… Read More
Impact Stories

This is a Life He Never Imagined

When Antwon’s kids get a little older, he plans to tell them what he’s been through. A 25-year-old father of three, he’s working hard to give them all a better life. Today, he is employed as a plumber, studying to get his GED and has completed a… Read More
For Educators, Our Bookshelf

Make Time to Play!

Today’s kids are playing less than any other generation. Play is losing out to TV, recess times have declined and many children in low-income communities lack safe spaces to run, jump and be active. But play is essential to kids’ learning. Play helps encourage kids to explore and use their… Read More
For Educators

How To Keep Kids Learning At Your Summer Meal Site

Want to keep kids’ minds and bellies full while they are out of school this summer? If you provide summer meals to children from low-income communities through USDA’s Summer Food Service Program, you can access books, basic needs items and other educational resources on the First Book Marketplace. When school… Read More