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. Read More

The Lemonade War author Jacqueline Davies 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… Read More

Cookie mix, right off the assembly line. 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… 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… Read More

The Magic Whistle? Before deciding on a tree house, author Mary Pope Osborne considered a whistle, a museum, and an art studio. 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… Read More

  The celebration of Día, or El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), can happen every day, but traditionally culminates each year on April 30th. This nationally recognized initiative emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural… Read More

First Book President and CEO Kyle Zimmer recently sat down with award-winning author Andrea Davis Pinkney for a conversation about her latest book, A Poem for Peter — a book she describes as her “love letter” to Ezra Jack Keats, creator of the iconic children’s classic, The… Read More

Children’s Day, Book Day/El Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros (known as Día) is the annual celebration of bookjoy created by children’s book author Pat Mora. The nationally recognized initiative emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children, from all backgrounds and creatively links them to the gift… Read More