First Book Blog

Stories of impact, the latest research, best practices, curated book lists, and more.

187 Reasons Why a Teacher Needs Books

Today’s guest blogger, Sarah Kilway, wrote to us after receiving hundreds of new books for her students. We couldn’t resist sharing her story with you. I teach 187 kids at Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center in Indianapolis, IN. The majority of my students live in poverty. Most have only one... Read more

My Kids Need Books

Posted in: Impact Stories

Today’s guest blogger, Adara Robbins, is 8th grade teacher at YES Prep Southwest, a public charter school in Houston, Texas. Where do you see yourself in five years? It’s a tough question. But imagine trying to answer if you didn’t know what your life would look like tomorrow – much... Read more

Healthy Minds Mean Healthy Lives

Posted in: Impact Stories

Guest Blogger Chris Dobbins became Director of the Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services on July 1 2013. Dobbins is a 20-year veteran of the US Air Force and is the former Health Director of the Gaston County Health Department. Health departments throughout the country work diligently to... Read more

Who Can Sign Up with First Book?

Posted in: For Educators

When the school year ends, so do many support systems kids in need rely on. Thankfully there are thousands of organizations working across the country to help kids in need during the summer months. First Book is here to support all of them. We don’t just work with teachers; anyone... Read more

My Yiddish Vacation: Q&A with Ione Skye

Posted in: Author Voices

Ione Skye recently celebrated the launch of her first children’s book “My Yiddish Vacation.”  Ione’s generous support of First Book has helped to bring hundreds of books to kids in need. We sat down to talk with her about how her love of books as a child inspired the writing... Read more

A Market-Driven Solution to the Need for Diverse Books

Posted in: Focus on First Book

Last week, hundreds of thousands of parents, educators and readers of all ages issued a call for more diversity in children’s literature, rallying under the banner of #WeNeedDiverseBooks. The campaign spread quickly from Twitter to media outlets around the world as people shared powerful stories about the need for all... Read more

5 Tips to Engage Latino Families and Students

Posted in: For Educators

Welcome to First Book’s celebrity blog series. Each month we will be connecting with influential voices who share a belief in the power of literacy, and who have worked with First Book to curate a unique collection that inspires a love of reading and learning. All recommended books are available... Read more

Books in Every Language for Every Child

Today’s guest blog post is from Dr. Mandy Stewart, an assistant professor of bilingual education at Texas Woman’s University. Follow her on Twitter at @DrMandyStewart. How many books have you read in your lifetime?  How many picture books did an adult read aloud to you while growing up? Most of... Read more

The Collective Power of a Nation of Readers

Posted in: Focus on First Book

This piece also appears on The Huffington Post’s Impact blog. Steve White, a volunteer at a local nonprofit, worked through the holidays to ensure that 3,000 kids in need in Denver would have brand-new books of their own at Christmas. Elisa Mayo, the finance coordinator for a school district in... Read more

graphic with text that says: "Double Your Impact to Help Give a Million Books! Help give a million books to kids in low-income communities this holiday season and beyond. The book you send may be the only holiday gift a child gets, and helping a child love books makes a lasting difference. Give by December 31 to double your impact through a Matching Challenge Fund from our generous friends at Pizza Hut — twice as many books with a single gift!" There is a red donation button in the lower right corner. On the left side of the graphic is an image of a young girl holding up a book and smiling.