First Book Blog

First Book and NEA Foundation Commit to Supporting Social and Emotional Learning for Kids in Need Through Increased Access to Diverse Books

Posted in: Our Partners, Press Room

Diverse books can catalyze empathy, understanding—a teacher-identified top-priority WASHINGTON, April 17, 2017 – First Book, the nonprofit social enterprise, and the NEA Foundation, are joining in a two-year partnership to respond to a teacher-identified top education priority—the acute need to cultivate social and emotional wellness, by expanding the Stories for... Read more

Newbery Medal-winning Author Kwame Alexander Joins National Geographic and First Book to Support Kids in Need

Posted in: Press Room

Educator-focused event features keynote address from Alexander and reading from his book, Animal Ark: Celebrating Our Wild World in Poetry and Pictures, a National Geographic Kids publication WASHINGTON, April 3, 2017 – Tomorrow night, Newbery Medal-winning author Kwame Alexander will address hundreds of educators and professionals supporting children in need... Read more

Mario Batali Foundation Celebrates it Triple Initiative to Invest in Boston’s Children With Programs Focused on Literacy and Nutrition

Posted in: Press Room

Mario Batali Foundation Joins Forces with Books for Kids, First Book and FoodCorps to Build Libraries, Provide Free Books to Educators, and Make Nutritious Food Attractive and Accessible BOSTON, March 22, 2017 – The Mario Batali Foundation (MBF) has made three major grants to improve literacy and nutrition for children... Read more

First Book Dramatically Expands Access to Free Books and Educational Resources for Children in Need, Citing Rapid Growth in Demand

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Press Room

First Book National Book Bank launches new platform granting full-time access to resources as the nonprofit social enterprise reports 40 percent increase in registered network WASHINGTON, March 7, 2017 – With school funding in more than 23 states still below pre-recession levels, and with afterschool and youth programs challenged for... Read more

First Book Adds “Hidden Figures” to Diverse Titles Available to Educators Serving Kids in Need

Posted in: Press Room

Young readers’ edition of story behind real-life heroes now accessible to girls growing up in low-income communities WASHINGTON, March 2, 2017 – “Hidden Figures,” the New York Times bestseller and inspiration for the Oscar-nominated film, is now available at an affordable price to First Book’s network of more than 300,000... Read more

Penguin Random House to Publish Forthcoming Books by Former U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama

Posted in: Press Room

NEW YORK CITY, February 28, 2017— Penguin Random House is pleased to announce that it will publish forthcoming books by former President of the United States Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle announced today that the company has acquired world publication rights... Read more

Tools of the Mind: Teaching Children Self-Regulation through Play

Posted in: For Educators

Today’s guest blog post is by Dr. Deborah Leong, Executive Director of Tools of the Mind, and coauthor with Dr. Elena Bodrova of “Tools of the Mind: The Vygotskian Approach to Early Childhood Education”, and Barbara Wilder-Smith, Director of Content Development at Tools of the Mind. Tools of the Mind... Read more

First Book and Every Child a Reader Partner for Children’s Book Week’s First-ever Book Donation

Posted in: Our Partners, Press Room

NEW YORK CITY, February 3, 2017 —Every Child a Reader, the sponsor of Children’s Book Week, and First Book, the nonprofit social enterprise that has distributed more than 160 million brand new books to children in need, today announced they will partner to donate books to underserved children as part... Read more

Powerful Partnerships Provide Books & More For Florida Kids

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Our Partners

Like many First Book stories, this one begins with a successful partnership. A partnership that, for many years, has helped First Book raise the bar for kids in need with new, quality books both at school and at home. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and First Book have the... Read more

How One Book Got the 2nd Grade Hooked

Posted in: Impact Stories

At McBee Elementary School in Austin, TX teachers are always looking for ways to help students share ideas and connect. That is especially true for librarian Heather Stephens. She sees hundreds of students from different grade levels, all with various interests, on a daily basis. For the 2nd grade, it... Read more