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You are currently browsing the First Book Blog weblog archives for May, 2007.
Archive for May 2007
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Sunshine & Students in NY
May 15th, 2007
Nicole T.
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Last week I had the pleasure of visiting some of the Campus Advisory Boards (CABs) that I support in Central & Eastern New York including First Book-Syracuse University, First Book-Cornell University, First Book-Geneva, and First Book-University at Buffalo. Spring arrived late in the area as it did here in Washington, DC. The welcomed sunshine brought many students outside to enjoy their Reading Days before finals started.
My colleague Rachael, who dreams of being a New England photographer in her next career, took some great photos of our CAB members and their campuses. I’m sharing a few of her works in this post.
As our CABs across the country wrap up finals and the end of the school year, we wish all of the students and faculty a fantastic summer! For our CAB members who are graduating, we encourage you to join our CAB Alumni Network and continue to spread the magic of First Book in your life after college.
Pictured, top to bottom: Members of First Book-Syracuse with Rachael and Nicole, members of First Book-Geneva with Nicole, and members of First Book-Cornell with Nicole.
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130,000 Books In Jacksonville!
May 14th, 2007
Shamyra D.
Leave a Comment »Last week, two of my coworkers and I were on a 3-day adventure in a warehouse in Jacksonville, Florida to distribute 130,000 books to area kids. It was all very exciting, though very busy! Several of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars players, along with their mascot Jaxson de Ville, pulled together to make this a wonderful event.
This newspaper article has all the exciting details — Jaguars bring home love of reading to Jacksonville kids
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Literary Stamps
May 14th, 2007
Clarissa P.
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If you’re in the US, you probably know that stamp prices went up today. To take your mind off your increased stamp bill, you might want to look at Literary Stamps, a website that displays some of the many stamps commemorating authors or with other literary connections. My own favorite literary stamp is the Dr. Seuss stamp, which was issued in 2004 for the 100th anniversary of his birth.
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The Coast Guard and First Book
May 11th, 2007
Clarissa P.
Leave a Comment »Many of our book distributions would not be possible without the help of the U.S. Coast Guard. As the signature charity of the Coast Guard, First Book relies on their warehouse space and volunteers to help us distribute millions of books to kids in need.
The Coast Guard worked with us on our New Orleans book distribution in March, and they recently issued this press release about the distribution — including some great photos from the warehouse.
You can learn more about our partnership with the Coast Guard on our website.
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Attention last-minute Mother’s Day shoppers!
May 10th, 2007
Stephanie R.
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If you’re like me, you just looked at your calendar this morning and realized that Mother’s Day is this weekend and you haven’t even mailed a card yet (shhh..don’t tell my mother!). Rest your troubled mind; I have good news!By shopping at Giftback.com, you will not only find the perfect gift for Mom, but will help bring new books to kids in need. Check out Giftback’s selection of flowers and gift baskets and, when you make your purchase, choose us as your favorite charity so that 10% of your purchase will come to First Book.
Speaking as someone who just ordered mine this afternoon, I’d highly recommend the bouquet of gerbera daisies! Of course ordering last-minute means rush delivery, but you want to make sure Mom has her flowers in time to enjoy Sunday don’t you?
Remember, the gift of reading always fits and never need be returned.
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A Book Relief Story
May 9th, 2007
Dr. Frances Weiler
Leave a Comment »Guest blogger Dr. Frances Weiler, is the principal of North Bay Elementary School in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
August 29, 2005 changed the world — at least it changed my world. My home, my school, and my community were essentially destroyed. Thousands of homes were swept away by the fury of Hurricane Katrina, and thousands more were damaged beyond repair.
Schools did not escape the destruction. Along with the forceful winds, Katrina swept ten feet of water over North Bay Elementary which knocked out exterior and interior walls, flooded all books, records and instructional materials, and left our school community in ruins. Those ruins are still in view every day. We can see it out the windows of our temporary classrooms; our school buses pass it as they transport our students to and from school. And destruction is still visible everywhere in our community.
Like Charles Dickens wrote, “it was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” August 29 was certainly our worst, and those days after August 29 were filled with many anxieties.
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Tried and True - A Writing Regimen
May 9th, 2007
Mindy Klasky
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Guest blogger Mindy Klasky is the author of six fantasy novels, including the award-winning, best-selling The Glasswrights’ Apprentice and numerous short stories. Her latest novel, Girl’s Guide to Witchcraft, is a lighthearted, fictional tale featuring a love-struck D.C. librarian who discovers she’s a witch. A portion of proceeds from the sale of Girl’s Guide will benefit First Book.It took me four years to write The Glasswrights’ Apprentice, the first novel that I sold. I wrote it on weekends and in the evenings, a paragraph here, a paragraph there, whenever the spirit took me. When my agent called me with the great news that he had sold my novel, he said, “The publisher wants a sequel. I told them you had three. When can you have the first one finished?”
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The First Book Marketplace Wins the Social Enterprise Innovation Award
May 8th, 2007
Chandler A.
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On April 17, the First Book Marketplace was awarded the Social Enterprise Innovation Award by the Social Enterprise Alliance and the Case Foundation. This award, given to the organization “designing the most innovative model in the field of social enterprise,” was presented at the Social Enterprise Alliance’s 8th annual gathering in Long Beach, CA.
I was lucky enough to spend a several days at the gathering meeting other social entrepreneurs from across the country and around the world. From local innovators running small bakeries employing traditionally underserved employees in a single community to international organizations seeking millions of dollars in expansion capital, it was an exhilarating experience speaking with others harnessing the power of the private sector to advance social change.
To learn more, you can download a pdf about this year’s award winners.
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Exercise the Right to Read!
May 7th, 2007
Wendelin Van Draanen
9 Comments »Guest Blogger Wendelin Van Draanen is running in the New York Marathon in support of First Book as part of the Exercise the Right to Read campaign.
You may not recognize my name, but your kids probably do. I’m Wendelin Van Draanen, the author of about 20 books for children, including the Sammy Keyes mysteries and the Shredderman books.
Over the past ten years I’ve been doing Author Day school visits around the country, and have increasingly heard a cry of dismay from librarians — their budgets get gobbled up by computer expenses, leaving little for them to buy new books.
I was fortunate as a child — we had many books in our home and my parents taught me to read at a young age. I did well in school, and between my school library, the public library, and our home library, there was never a shortage of books.
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Project Runway
May 4th, 2007
Kumquat Tartlett
2 Comments »Though far from a fashionista, I’ll admit to a delicious, guilty television pleasure: Bravo’s Project Runway.
While I’ve certainly picked up a few tips on style and have marveled at the designers’ ability to craft couture from coffee filters and shower curtains, I’ve come to appreciate even more the show’s subtler lessons on life. The splendid Tim Gunn’s admonition to “make it work” speaks volumes about sticking with something and doing the best you can with what you’ve got.
And okay, the venomous rivalry between Jeffrey and Laura was fun to watch, too. But the patient and debonair Tim Gunn, the teacher we all wish we had, is a huge part of the show’s appeal for me.
So when I read that he was doing a book-signing in Washington, DC, recently, I enlisted some friends who share my Project Runaway fascination, and we raced over to see him, squealing with delight. He and his co-author Kate Moloney were promoting their new book, Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style, published by Abrams.