To combat anti-Asian bias and discrimination, more educators are teaching about—and celebrating—the Asian American community. To assist educators, First Book is highlighting the breadth of Asian and Asian American stories. Our Marketplace Senior Manager of Merchandising, Yukari Matsuyama, put together the following list of 14 books to help… Read More

Guest post written by Lori Prince, Director of Merchandising at First Book Before my years at First Book, I was a poet. The poetry I knew as a child was the poetry of songs — folk music at home, hymns at church, show tunes in choir — so… Read More

Happy book birthday to Hena Khan’s new book Amina’s Song, published today (March 9, 2021)! This past January, as a part of our activities for National Day of Service, Khan did a live reading of Amina’s Song – a companion book to Amina’s Voice – and through… Read More

In the last few years, educators and avid readers collectively recognized the urgency of reading anti-racist books and exercising self-education. It was apparent, perhaps more so than other years, why Black stories matter, especially in the classroom. While recognizing Black pain and struggle remains an important focus, celebrating Black joy,… Read More

The third annual “First Book Title Raves” list is here! Check out the 15 titles below, all of which were published in 2020 and earned accolades from our network of 500,000 educators who serve children in need. 2020 Picks Our 2020 Title Raves list was curated based on five-star… Read More

From heartwarming stories featuring lively, unforgettable characters to virtual events connecting young creators to their wide imagination, all through May, we’ve celebrated everything Author Mo Willems. Educators and parents recognize the genius in Mo’s storytelling — how he introduces social concepts and provides solutions to various situations, all while entertaining… Read More

Countless women have fought to make the world a better place in a push for equality for all people – encouraging generations of young people to build upon the contributions of those that have held the door open for them. Here are a few of our favorite inspiring true stories… Read More

Plush toys are more than just cute classroom decorations. They are a wonderful tool for creating a space where kids are excited and motivated to learn. First Book educators are using plush toys creatively in their classrooms to spark enthusiasm and excitement about reading and learning. Pete the cat rides… Read More

Today’s blog post is written by guest blogger Saadia Faruqi, author of the YASMIN series of early reader titles. Read More

Every month, First Book's team of children's & young adult literature experts on staff (or as they like to call themselves, THE BOOK NERDS) choose their favorite titles from the Marketplace. September's theme is Books that Changed Us for the Better. Read More