Earlier this school year Sharlene Scott, an Alternative Language Arts teacher in Gardena, California, brought two brand-new tablets into class for her students to explore. She was able to purchase them on the First Book Marketplace thanks to a partnership with Blackboard, Inc. Sharlene loaded the tablets with several apps... Read more
“I always tell our kids that they are like cars, motorcycles or trucks,”says Theresa Mai, the librarian at Truscott Elementary in Loveland, Colorado. “We talk about their parents getting fuel for their car – how it can’t run without the right fuel. Their bodies are the same way. Food is... Read more
The kids at Herricks Middle School in Albertson, New York love to learn. In fact, every morning many of them line up outside of the library before school starts, eager to trade in their latest read for a new story. For some of the students, the books they receive at... Read more
Today’s guest blogger is Mollie James, Executive Director of Bruce Irons Camp Fund in Charlotte, North Carolina. Under glowing lights sits a single gift in crisp wrapping paper. Since it arrived at Carolina’s home a few days ago, her hopes have soared. For Carolina, the book that awaits her may... Read more
Today’s guest blogger is Sheri Dominguez, Media Specialist at Palmview Elementary School in Pompano Beach, Florida. When the final bell rings at Palmview Elementary, some of my students make one stop before heading home – the bushes outside of school. That is where they hide their backpacks for the night.... Read more
Today’s guest blogger is Veronica Creech, Director of Partner Engagement at First Book. When you open a book for a baby, their eyes light up. They’re fascinated by the contrast of the colors. They marvel at words as you read to them. What these little ones don’t know is that... Read more
This week, First Book was honored with the David M. Rubenstein Prize for 2015, one of three literacy awards presented by the Library of Congress annually. The Rubenstein Prize is awarded to an organization that has made “outstanding and measurable contributions in increasing literacy levels and has demonstrated exceptional and... Read more
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we talked with Meg Medina, author of Tia Isa Wants a Car, The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind and many other great stories available on the First Book Marketplace. Learn why she became a children’s author, how her family heritage influences her stories and... Read more
Today’s Guest Blogger is Susan Brunecz, an Instructional Coach at Paul L. Dunbar Academy in Cleveland, Ohio. When our students entered their classes on the first day of school two weeks ago, a roar of excitement erupted! They had just laid eyes on their new classroom libraries. Their shelves were... Read more
Rochester, New York was recently ranked one of the poorest cities in the United States. More than half of its children live in poverty. But on an early summer day, the students in the Rochester City School District have a spring in their step as they walk down the hallway... Read more