First Book Blog

Thank You to Our Educators Serving Kids in Need

Posted in: Focus on First Book, For Educators

By Carey M. Palmquist, senior vice president for eCommerce at First Book Imagine waking up every morning as a teacher in a Title I school.   You’re doing this because you want to. I mean…right? You had this incredible notion of giving back, of mentoring, of profoundly changing the lives of... Read more

Disney Publishing Worldwide, Little Free Library® and First Book Bring Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War-themed Library Stands to Select Communities

Posted in: Press Room

Readers Assemble! Disney Publishing Worldwide Teams up with Little Free Library® and First Book to Bring Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War-themed Library Stands to Select Communities this May Glendale, Calif. (May 7, 2018) – On Saturday, May 12, 2018, Disney Publishing Worldwide and Little Free Library will begin to reveal nine... Read more

StoryBots and First Book Launch Buy One, Give One Partnership to Support Early Education

Posted in: Press Room

For Every StoryBots Membership Purchased, StoryBots Will Donate One to First Book LOS ANGELES and WASHINGTON (April 19, 2018) – StoryBots is donating thousands of memberships for its early learning app to educators serving kids in need as part of a new “buy one, give one” partnership with First Book.... Read more

“We Need to Help Our Kids.” Laura Geringer Bass on The Girl With More Than One Heart

Posted in: Author Voices, For Educators

First Book talked to author Laura Geringer Bass about her latest book, The Girl With More Than One Heart (Abrams), and her extensive work with young people. See what she had to say about dealing with grief, witnessing tragedy, and encouraging young people to share their stories. *** First Book:... Read more

Talking Books – and Pizza – with Pizza Hut’s Natasha Collins

Posted in: Our Partners

First Book recently spoke with Natasha Collins, social impact manager for Pizza Hut. Through April 22, Pizza Hut: The Literacy Project – the company’s global commitment to literacy – and First Book are partnering to enable access to books and educational resources, empower teachers, and inspire a lifelong love of... Read more

Debbi Michiko Florence: Creating the Drumming Mochi Queen, Jasmine Toguchi

Posted in: Author Voices

Debbi Michiko Florence, the author who brought us eight-year-old mochi-loving, flamingo-focused Jasmine Toguchi, was about eight years old herself before she realized eating a side of rice with a plate of spaghetti was not necessarily universal. That experience, which came as part of what Florence describes as growing up both... Read more

With First Book & Every Child a Reader, Kids Choose Favorite Books of 2017

Posted in: Press Room

Kids and teens can “voice their choice” in the 11th Annual Children’s & Teen Choice Book Awards now through May 6 NEW YORK (March 23, 2018) – Kids will choose the winners of the 2018 Children’s & Teen Choice Book Awards through a nationwide voting process where they can “voice... Read more

Gov. Carney, First Book Announce $50,000 Grant from Highmark Delaware for Re-stock of Basic Needs Closets

Posted in: Press Room

HARRINGTON, Del. (March 4, 2018) — Governor John Carney on Wednesday and First Book President, Co-founder and CEO Kyle Zimmer, visited Lake Forest South Elementary School to announce a $50,000 grant from Highmark Delaware’s BluePrints for the Community fund to support basic needs closets in schools throughout Delaware. The funds... Read more

“It Gives Me a Tremendous Amount of Hope:” Author Hena Khan on Kids, Tolerance, and the Universal Experience of Middle School

Posted in: Author Voices

Middle school anxiety does not discriminate, Amina’s Voice author Hena Khan told First Book. It’s why we all can mirror each other’s experiences in some way, no matter where we’re from—and that gives Khan hope, she said. Read more about Hena, Amina, and the relatability of generous aunties in our... Read more

How To Make Reading Fun and Create Lifelong Readers

Posted in: For Educators, Impact Stories

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