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
Wolves can come in all shapes and sizes. Do I have your attention now? So warns Lady J, the animated version of Academy Award-nominee Jessica Chastain, as she walks “Little Reds” through the dangers of a very scary problem: Child sex trafficking. Lady J is the narrator of I AM... Read more
First Book talked to author Laura Geringer Bass about her latest book, The Girl With More Than One Heart (Abrams), and her extensive work with young people. See what she had to say about dealing with grief, witnessing tragedy, and encouraging young people to share their stories. *** First Book:... Read more
Debbi Michiko Florence, the author who brought us eight-year-old mochi-loving, flamingo-focused Jasmine Toguchi, was about eight years old herself before she realized eating a side of rice with a plate of spaghetti was not necessarily universal. That experience, which came as part of what Florence describes as growing up both... Read more
Middle school anxiety does not discriminate, Amina’s Voice author Hena Khan told First Book. It’s why we all can mirror each other’s experiences in some way, no matter where we’re from—and that gives Khan hope, she said. Read more about Hena, Amina, and the relatability of generous aunties in our... Read more
Award-winning author, poet, and friend of First Book, Kwame Alexander has a special Valentine’s Day message for you! Kwame Alexander is one of our Authors in Action! We love working with illustrators and authors like Kwame to bring new books to kids in need. Click here to learn more... Read more
The Lemonade War was intended to be a stand-alone book—but five books later, The Lemonade War and its entrepreneurial protagonists have prompted kids nationwide to raise more than $150,000 to end childhood cancers, in addition to many other causes. First Book asked author Jacqueline Davies, who has since founded the... Read more
Hurricane Irma missed Charleston, South Carolina by about 200 miles, but it did not leave the historic city untouched. The storm’s outer bands came at Charleston with tidal surges reaching 10 feet high, the likes of which the town hadn’t seen since Hurricane Hugo nearly two decades earlier. It was... Read more
Natalie Pope Boyce has always been one for the details. She grew up in a military family with her sister, author of the Magic Tree House series, Mary Pope Osborne, and lived abroad at a young age. While learning different languages, Natalie found delight in the nuances of different words... Read more
A note from Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO, First Book: This year, First Book is celebrating our 25th year of providing brand new books and educational resources to educators serving kids in need. Today, we are so delighted to share that celebration with a very special First Book friend who’s also... Read more