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, Sorcery and the Single Girl, is the second book in a series about a love-struck D.C. librarian who discovers she’s a witch. Ten percent of proceeds from the sale of […]

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First Book needs your help in Facebook’s Causes Giving Challenge going on now through January 31. The nonprofit that inspires the most donors will be rewarded an additional $50,000 from the Case Foundation.
Help us prove that philanthropy can be for everyone and get more books to kids in need. […]

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At First Book, we love to hear about campaigns that recognize amazing kids doing extraordinary things. If you know a child or teen who is making a difference in your community, Build-A-Bear Workshop®, a long-time supporter and partner of First Book, wants your help in finding them.
The company is now taking nominations for its fifth […]

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Tomorrow I am leaving my job here at First Book, as well as my wonderful Advisory Board volunteers in the states of WA, ND, SD, GA and KY, to pursue a teaching career.  Since I started working at First Book a few months before the blog was born, I thought I would take a moment […]

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In a world full of bad news, it’s nice to come across a true story of one woman’s new-found confidence after winning her own personal battle with illiteracy.
In an article in The Guardian newspaper, Antonia Moore eloquently describes her fears when faced with the reality of illiteracy,
“There was no one I could confide in. Having […]

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This post was provided by LeeAnn S., a coordinator for NLAW at the Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education.
National Literacy Action Week (NLAW) will be held on campuses nationwide from January 28th to February 2nd, 2008. Sponsored by SCALE, Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education, a program of the School of Education at The […]

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I love how perfectly this picture, sent to us by a child who received books from First Book, captures our mission. Keep checking in for more kids’ letters and drawings.

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I recently came across an interesting study highlighting the most literate cities in America.
For the last five years, Jack Miller, a researcher and the president of Central Connecticut State University, has analyzed the reading habits of those in large U.S. cities (with populations of 250,00 or more) and has compiled a ranking based on their […]

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Just in time for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on January 21, 2008 and Black History Month in February, the First Book Marketplace is pleased to welcome Martin’s Big Words as its newest Special Edition.
In this incredible picture book, Doreen Rappaport weaves the immortal words of Dr. King into a captivating narrative to […]

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What did you spend $10 on in 2007? Movie tickets, lattes, dry cleaning?
What can $10 do in 2008? Help put an end to illiteracy.
First Book is working tirelessly each day to resolve the illiteracy crisis by bringing beautiful, new books to the most economically disadvantaged children in communities nationwide. And […]

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