Another school year is upon us. Teachers set up new classrooms for the year – decorating, planning fun ways to teach important lessons and preparing for desks full of new students. Books, new school supplies, empty notebooks wait to be filled with knowledge – all icons of a new year... Read more
Karen loves to draw. So when her teacher, Ms. Spezziali, told her class about the Purina® PAWty Challenge, this Garfield Elementary kindergartner was especially excited to participate. The rules of the challenge were: Draw a pet (or an imaginary pet) for your classroom, name it and write a story describing... Read more
All summer long, you’ve heard how summer slide – the learning loss that occurs when kids are out of school – adds up for kids who don’t have access to books and other learning opportunities. But there’s good news – many schools and organizations throughout the country are working hard... Read more
The Apollo XI moon landing celebrated its 45th anniversary this past Sunday. First Book is celebrating this momentous event with some of our favorite space-inspired books: 1. Almost Astronauts: Thirteen Women Who Dared to Dream What does it take to be an astronaut? Excellence at flying, courage, intelligence, resistance to... Read more
They each shared their reasons for being there – cherished memories of reading with a parent, the desire to instill a love of reading in their own kids, wanting to honor a father’s passion for education. It was the first task Joy Brooke, co-chair of First Book’s Seattle volunteer chapter,... Read more
For kids from low-income families, summer doesn’t always mean carefree fun. Many kids have fewer learning opportunities and parents often struggle to find safe, affordable childcare, making summer a time of stress and worry. For more than 21 million kids who rely on free and reduced price meals during the... Read more
Now in the thick of hot and sticky summer, the ring of the school bell has long left kids’ minds. And while three months may not seem like much, that time really adds up for kids who don’t have access to books or educational activities. Summer slide sets in, and... Read more
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... Read more
Cathy Gafford, like so many program directors, was on a tight budget. In 2011, the director at Jean Dean RIF (Reading is Fundamental) found herself needing 14,000 books for her program at a price she had not been able to find. Cathy came to First Book with her dilemma. Because... Read more
Guest blogger Tina Chovanec is the director of Reading Rockets: the authoritative online source for comprehensive and accessible information about teaching young children to read and helping those who struggle.Reading Rockets is one of five education websites created by Learning Media, a division of WETA, the PBS affiliate in the... Read more