First Book Blog

52 Books to Celebrate Black History in Your Classroom

Posted in: For Educators, Our Bookshelf

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

Help First Book Distribute Books for National Day of Service

Posted in: Focus on First Book

First Book is honored to participate in the Presidential Inauguration Committee’s National Day of Service on Monday, January 18, 2021. Join us in our celebration of the 46th President with free books, author readings, and more. Fill Out a Form, Give a Free Book Throughout the day, First Book will ask... Read more

Reach Out and Read of Greater New York Puts Diverse Books in Waiting Rooms

Posted in: Impact Stories, Our Partners

Dr. Faye Kokotos, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Montefiore, recently described well-child visits during COVID-19 as an anxiety-ridden experience: “The waiting room is eerily quiet; the children are whisked into an examination room quickly. All the staff are wearing face masks.” In spite of this acknowledgment of the... Read more

Supporting you with tough conversations in the days ahead

Posted in: For Educators

This has been an unprecedented, tumultuous time – and we all watched in horror yesterday at an assault on our democracy. This violence and chaos in our hometown, and particularly on the Capitol of our beloved country, was beyond the pale and will have repercussions beyond our government. We know... Read more

2020 First Book Title Raves

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Our Bookshelf

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 educator... Read more

EPIC strives to help vocabulary development in Pueblo, CO with help from First Book

Posted in: Impact Stories, Our Partners

There is no denying, life as we knew it prior to March of this year has been a challenge in so many ways. We have all had to maneuver our way through and attempt to keep our heads up high and make the best of it.  Kudos to all of our... Read more

First Book Launches 2nd Annual #GiveaMillion Fundraiser

Posted in: Impact Stories

Holiday Campaign to Raise $1 Million and Provide 1 Million Books to Kids in Need WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2020 — First Book, the nonprofit social enterprise focused on equal access to quality education, today announced that it has launched its second annual #GiveAMillion campaign designed to raise $1 million between now and December 31st to get 1... Read more

First Book’s Network of Educators Reaches Half a Million Strong

Posted in: Focus on First Book

Guest post written by Kyle Zimmer, President, CEO & Co-founder of First Book Something amazing happened on October 31, 2020. Hopi Relief, a nonprofit established to assist people in the Hopi villages disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, became the 500,000th member of the First Book Network! Reaching half a million members is... Read more

Georgia-based Books for Keeps pivots, innovates, & delivers 68,500 books to students for summer reading

Posted in: Impact Stories, Our Partners

The following is a guest blog post written by our partner Books for Keeps. Books are a torch during times of darkness and human searching. In March of this year, as the skies over our world seemed to turn black, and we all wondered what would happen next, Books for... Read more

Books that Make Math – MATHICAL!

Posted in: Impact Stories, Our Partners

Books unlock new worlds for readers of all ages – and for some students in the Oakland, California area, those new worlds are MATHICAL! That’s because, thanks to support from the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI), 93 educators in the First Book Network from California’s Alameda County received credits to... Read more