
How Do You Make Every Start a Great Start When Kids Go Back to School?
Posted In:Impact Stories
August 7, 2018 Imagine not owning a book. Think about what you’d do if you couldn’t afford school supplies. How would it affect your life? Your children’s lives? Sean Bellamy is a third-grade teacher in Washington, D.C. Sadly, this is a reality for many Americans. In fact, 61% of… Read More

How Kansas City Kids Beat Summer Slide
Posted In:Impact Stories
July 20, 2018 This blog was originally posted on July 25th, 2014. It has been updated with new outbound links. All summer long, you’ve heard how summer slide – the learning loss that occurs when kids are out of school – adds… Read More

Newman’s Own Foundation and First Book Bring Nutrition and Healthy Eating Books to Rural Georgia
Posted In:Impact Stories
July 3, 2018 A teacher and students in Stewart County, Georgia, pose with their new books. Thanks to a $15,000 grant from Newman’s Own Foundation, the independent foundation created by the late actor and philanthropist, Paul Newman, First Book gave children in rural Georgia more than 3,000 books. The award was made by… Read More

This life-or-death industry isn’t what you’re expecting. It’s children’s education.
Posted In:Impact Stories
March 27, 2018 This blog post has been re-published from Upworthy. Click here to read the full original post. Last year, librarian Rajeeni Galloway met a student that others had already deemed a lost cause. This student’s record was riddled with suspensions, and her grades had suffered… Read More

How To Make Reading Fun and Create Lifelong Readers
Posted In:For Educators, Impact Stories
March 1, 2018 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

A Día to Remember
Posted In:Focus on First Book, Impact Stories
October 5, 2017 We are pleased to announce that the winner of the 2017 Estela & Raúl Mora Award is … Mattawa Elementary School of the Wahluke School District in Mattawa! They put on a fantastic Día celebration this year, and with the help of parents and several community partners spread… Read More

Hurricane Harvey Update: An Educator’s Story
Posted In:Focus on First Book, Impact Stories
September 26, 2017 As other parts of the country brace for the impact of upcoming hurricanes, clean up efforts after Hurricane Harvey are just beginning. Team First Book in Matagorda County has made many friends in their communities over the years. One individual described the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Wharton, Texas as,… Read More

Books-A-Go Go & First Book: 10 Years Later, One Million Books
Posted In:Impact Stories
September 21, 2017 Betty Metz, Founder and President of Books-A-Go-Go. “I had no idea what I was doing,” says Betty Metz, Founder and President of Books-A-Go-Go. Luckily for kids in Jacksonville, FL and later all over the world, she figured it out. During the past 10 years Betty and Books-A-Go Go have distributed… Read More

Seeding Book Deserts with Diverse Books
Posted In:Impact Stories
August 10, 2017 In East Nashville, it’s more likely that you’ll find a fast food restaurant, or a used tire store, or a gas station, or a liquor store, before you’ll see a library,” said Jarred Amato. Jarred Amato enlisted the help of his sophomore English class to recycle old newspaper dispensers into little… Read More

Books for Kids and Hope for a Community
Posted In:Impact Stories
July 27, 2017 A group of weekend H.O.P.E volunteers. This group helped bring delicious, nutritious food to kids at risk for hunger. In Forsyth County, North Carolina, H.O.P.E. (Help Our People Eat) of Winston-Salem knows there are people in the community who care about kids. H.O.P.E.’s mission is to use community-wide volunteer… Read More