First Book Blog

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

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

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

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

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

image of a classroom of kids holding up books. In the bottom left corner is text that says, 'March For What Matters. Support diverse books!' Underneath the text is a red button that says, 'I'll March for What Matters'.