Category Archive: Impact Stories
Read with Your Head & Your Heart
This blog is a guest post by First Book community educator, April Insley. I believe you read with your head and with your heart. As a library media specialist, I know there’s a book for every one of my students that will help them fall in love with reading. It... Read more
I’m Teary Eyed Thinking About It… Stories of the Power of Giving
This post is written by guest blogger, Joyce Victor, First Book Member, Owens Primary School, CA I feel teary eyed thinking about giving new books from First Book to my kids, and I know you feel the same way. Whenever I give new books to the kindergarten students at Owens... Read more
Hands-On STEM, Delivered on Foot
Walking Books Library loves STEM materials from First Book; the library dog does not. This post is written by a guest blogger – First Book community member Kelly Stearns, Director of Walking Books Library in Maine. Walking Books Library, based in rural Maine, was created to engage people not regularly... Read more
Imagine A School Without A Library
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
This Educator Didn’t Punish Troublesome Kids. She Gave Them a Closet Full of Stuff.
The following post his blog post was written by Amanda Pell at Upworthy & first published on Upworthy.com in November 2017. This time last year, the top three most misbehaved boys at Equetta Jones’ elementary school were from the same family. As assistant principal, it fell to Jones to figure... Read more
Kids Need Books Of All Kinds
Thanks to Jarrett Lerner, author and illustrator, and supporters like you, thousands of kids in low-income communities across the country are receiving new books and resources from First Book. Lerner is encouraging all to wear their hearts on their sleeves, with a custom designed T-shirt that features the phrase, “Kids... Read more
“All Are Welcome” Into a Community of Reading
For many students, the start of the school year can be stressful – prompting isolation, shyness, and learning obstacles. The most important part of an educator’s job is making students feel welcome. “I’m always looking for opportunities for our kids to experience that their work and their words do have... Read more
4 Inspirational Librarians to Know This National Library Workers Day
It’s National Library Workers Day, and we’re honoring our library friends! Thank you, library workers, for the important roles you play in our communities. We celebrate you today and every day. Read about four extraordinary library workers who inspire us. Imagine A School Without A Library I want all kids to experience... Read more
‘Love is an Action Word.’ Show Love. Give Books.
“We can tell the kids we love them. We can tell the community that we care. But they look at what we do. I say love is an action word. It’s a verb, and you have to show it.” – Denise Taylor For Denise Taylor, saying you care is not... Read more









