Turning the pages of a book from right to left — or left to right, depending on which language you’re reading — is not an innate skill. It’s something we have to learn. But most of us don’t remember that lesson in school, because when you grow up with… Read More

Many of the children our community of educators serve will return back to school this year without the supplies they need to learn; instead with worries and distractions caused by today’s social issues. The following post first appeared on the First Book blog on February 7, 2018. It has been… Read More

Public school funding is still below pre-recession levels in 29 states. Educators are spending an average of $500 out of their own pockets yearly. This is why we do what we do at First Book. And this year, we have the opportunity to make sure that every back-to-school start is… Read More

With engaging books featuring diverse characters, Kreitzer’s students’ achievement scores are now higher than the classrooms using school-provided resources. Kate Kreitzer, a 5th grade teacher in St Paul, MN, believes that finding culturally relevant, rigorous, and engaging academic material is key to her students’ academic achievement. Teaching reading can be tough… Read More

The following post first appeared on Medium, April 20, 2018. Authored by Kyle Zimmer, president, co-founder, and CEO of First Book. A Texas elementary school media specialist shared on Twitter a 43-second video that blew me away. Read More

“It’s a group effort. Through [First Book’s] program, [we’ve] been able to help children in our county. It’s taken a village to help our children have a book in their hands.” – Rhonda Kersey Lincoln County is the number one county in West Virginia in which babies are born addicted… Read More

Empty bookshelves in school libraries, kids without backpacks or lunch or socks, educators shelling out an average of $500 a year to outfit their classrooms–this is why we do what we do at First Book. And this year, we have the opportunity to make sure that every back-to-school start is… Read More

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

Recently, the First Book Marketplace launched product reviews. Not only do these reviews help fellow members of the First Book community of educators decide what products will help them most, they also help our staff understand how our community members are using the products we provide,… Read More

Guest post by Camila Rios, First Book intern Spanish-language books are a versatile and valuable resource. Use them with Spanish speakers, Spanish learners, bilingual students, and English language learners in any setting where you’re working with kids and families. Use Spanish-Language Books To… Foster Strong Bilingual Skills Research shows that students who… Read More