First Book Blog

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

group of educators in a school library holding new books

Six Reasons to Join First Book’s Network of Educators

Posted in: Focus on First Book, For Educators

Joey Mathis is a First Book Marketing and Communication intern. She is currently an undergrad student at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, each year the average public school teacher spends over $500 of their own money on necessary supplies and books for... Read more

two dads with their child, pride month book list

16 Books to Learn About & Celebrate Pride Month

Posted in: Our Bookshelf

This guest post was written by Joey Mathis, a First Book Marketing and Communication intern. She is currently an undergrad student at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. The Pride book list was curated by Lee Butler, First Book’s Senior Cataloging Manager. Every June, First Book celebrates Pride Month as part of... Read more

mom and daughter working on a pc at home, supporting their child

How Microsoft’s Literacy Tools Improve Reading Comprehension in Classrooms

Posted in: For Educators, Our Partners

Educators are continuously confronted with a growing and diverse range of student needs, necessitating a responsive and individualized approach to teaching. In recent years, the prevalence of literacy challenges, particularly among English language learners and students with learning differences, has increased significantly, particularly in underserved communities. To level the playing... Read more

two asian children on their phones and ipads, sitting on a couch

It’s Challenging to Stay Focused and Use Self-Control—But There Are Strategies that Work

Posted in: Our Partners

This post was written in collaboration with the Mind in the Making team. As life begins to return to pre-pandemic days, more and more demands seem thrown our way—more appointments, events, commutes, and things on our to-do list. With our busier schedules come lots of pressures. Sometimes it’s hard to... Read more

four kids reading books on the grass together

Q&A with Marissa Meyer: Celebrating 10 Years of Cinder

Posted in: Author Voices

Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and a MA in Publishing from Pace University. In... Read more

young teacher sitting with 4 children at a table working on projects together

Research & Insights: 2021 Highlights & Network Impact

Posted in: First Book Research & Insights

Since 1992, First Book has distributed more than 225 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income communities. First Book currently reaches an average of 5 million children every year and supports more than a third of the estimated 1.3 million classrooms and programs serving... Read more

children and teacher gathered around a laptop

First Book, an Innovative Leader in Education Equity, Releases Groundbreaking Research Illustrating the Impact of COVID-19 on Emotional Wellness of Students in Underserved Communities

Posted in: Press Room

Nearly One Thousand Educators Participated; Report that over half (53%) of the students they serve struggle with their mental health. WASHINGTON, April 5, 2022—First Book, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring education equity for children living in poverty, today announced the results of a national survey designed to identify emotional... Read more

mom consoling daughter after a temper tantrum

Educator and Parenting Solutions to Deal with Tantrums

Posted in: Our Partners

This post was written in collaboration with the Mind in the Making team. Tantrums are an inevitable and expected part of life with young children that can be very challenging for adults, especially as we deal with the long-term impacts of the pandemic. As children learn how to manage their... Read more

box of legos spilling out on to the floor

Build the Change: The LEGO Group’s Network Impact

Posted in: Impact Stories, Our Partners

In 2021, the LEGO Group, a partner of First Book, worked to take a new approach to provide resources to our growing network of educators. Instead of creating resources based on corporate goals or assumptions, the LEGO Group worked with First Book to conduct research and create materials that were... Read more

two latina girls looking up at a teacher and discussing a school subject

How Books Shape Our Dialogue Around Diversity & Race

Posted in: Author Voices

In 2021, the Children’s Cooperative Book Center reviewed 3,357 books and found that only 9.3% were written by Black authors and 13.3% featured Black characters. While the statistics are staggering, the problem with the lack of diversity in books extends beyond any bookshelf as the books we read and learn... Read more