When Vanessa Cadena entered the library at Bret Harte Middle School this school year, she knew she had a big job ahead of her. It was Vanessa’s first year at the school and the library had not been updated in almost twenty years. Full of damaged and outdated… Read More

We recently met Victoria Hammond, a Program Coordinator at Linwood YMCA in Kansas City. She told us about Leigh, a particularly shy girl in her afterschool program who found confidence and friends through reading. Victoria noticed that she played alone and didn’t have the self-esteem to introduce herself to the… Read More

Last week, we featured Roxana Barillas, Director of Hispanic Engagement at First Book. She shared her thoughts on the ways educators can connect with ELL families. This week, Roxana shares one book from  Build Strong Families With Stories that can help in engaging ELL families in their child’s… Read More

Home libraries make a huge difference in kid’s lives. A 20-year study found that, regardless of nationality, parents’ education level or economic status, the presence of books in the home is one of greatest indicators of a child’s academic success. Researchers found that having as few as 20… Read More

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… Read More

Theresa Mai, librarian at Truscott Elementary “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… Read More

Jill Botts gives books to the students of Los Molinos Unified School District five times a year. She believes that getting books to these children is the most important job she has. Educators throughout the country feel the same way. Together, we can make a difference in… 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… 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