Posts by Chandler Arnold

What I Learned from Bill Clinton: How to Prepare Yourself for the Future

May07
2013 Leave a Comment Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

“If you can do one thing to prepare yourself for the future… you should spend as much time as you can with people who are different than you”. — President Bill Clinton

I recently had the opportunity to join Kyle Zimmer, First Book’s president and CEO, at a special event for the Thea Foundation. Founded by Linda and Paul Leopoulos shortly after the untimely death of their daughter Thea Kay, the Thea Foundation connects young people to the power of visual art, dance, drama, and creative writing across Arkansas and beyond.

At First Book we’re eager to learn from the success of the Thea Foundation and we hope to work with Linda, Paul and others to help bring the arts to life for all students, regardless of their economic situations, including the hundreds of thousands of children in First Book’s national network of low-income classrooms and programs.

Thea Kay Leopoulos

Thea Kay Leopoulos (photo from theafoundation.org)

We know that it can make a profound difference. Paul and Linda shared Thea’s story — a typical one for many 17-year-old girls, making C’s and D’s and disliking school.

But by the end of her junior year, Thea was making A’s and B’s in difficult subjects (an A in Trigonometry!) and loving school. As they came to terms with losing their daughter, Linda and Paul sought to understand what happened in Thea’s life that caused such a drastic academic transformation.

The answer: her new involvement in visual art, dance, drama and creative writing. This made all the difference for Thea; an idea strongly supported by research.

Chandler Arnold and Kyle Zimmer of First Book with Bill Clinton

Chandler Arnold, Bill Clinton & Kyle Zimmer celebrating the Thea Foundation

Among the educators, entrepreneurs, and arts supporters that night was President Bill Clinton, a longtime supporter of the powerful organization. Over dinner Kyle and I were able to speak with the President about a range of topics, from Thea (who the president knew well) to the Clinton Global Initiative.

The thing I’ll remember most? The President’s advice to an eight-year-old over dinner: “If you can do one thing to prepare yourself for the future… you should spend as much time as you can with people who are different than you”.

Wise advice for all of us; eight-year-olds and grown-ups alike.

Kyle also asked him if Hillary would be running for President in a few years, but we’ll keep his answer to ourselves.

NOTE: We are grateful for the generosity of Dr. Martha Bernadett of the Molina Foundation for making our participation in this event possible.

Chandler Arnold is First Book’s executive vice president.

Posted in Books & Reading, Education, First Book Partners, Kyle Zimmer, Success Stories - Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Social Entrepreneurship: From Vision to Action

May19
2010 Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

I was thrilled to recently join other social entrepreneurs speaking with a group of 63 Fulbright Scholars from 47 countries around the world.  The US Department of State brought the Fulbright Enrichment Seminar participants to Washington to explore social entrepreneurship in the areas of environmental sustainability, public health, education, and economic/social equity. As part of this seminar, the Fulbright students met with Washington area social entrepreneurship experts who took part in an interactive panel discussion, which included First Book.

As a panel expert I was thrilled to share what First Book is doing in Washington D.C. and across the United States, but I was especially excited to READ MORE »

Posted in First Book Events, General, Marketplace, Social Entrepreneurship - Tagged , , , ,

United We Serve: Packing Backpacks with the First Family

Jun30
2009 Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

Last Thursday, June 25th, I was lucky enough to join the President, the First Lady, and hundreds of Congressional family members to prepare 15,000 backpacks with books and other items for the children of servicemen and women. With the incredibly generous support of Random House Children’s Books and Disney Publishing Worldwide, First Book was able to donate 30,000 books (two for each backpack!) with a retail value of almost $250,000.

The service event highlighted ‘United We Serve,’ President Obama’s call to all First Book President Kyle Zimmer and President ObamaAmericans to engage in service projects and create meaningful impact in their towns and communities. The ‘United We Serve’ summer service initiative began June 22nd and runs through the National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11th. The initiative is being led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency dedicated to fostering service in communities across the country.

Curious about the books the President and the First Lady helped us pack?  Here’s the list — full of great choices for your own summer reading!

  • Clementine by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Marla Frazee
  • Magic Tree House #28: High Tide in Hawaii by Mary Pope Osborne
  • The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
  • The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
  • Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud
  • Holes by Louis Sachar
Posted in Authors & Illustrators, Books & Reading, First Book Events, Philanthropy - Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Creating Libraries with Jewish Women International

Dec11
2008 Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

On Monday, a couple of us from First Book had the opportunity to attend a luncheon hosted by Jewish Women International (JWI).  JWI’s National Library Initiative (NLI) is working with First Book to establish 100 children’s libraries in homeless and battered women’s shelters across the United States.

For a woman fleeing an abusive relationship, the immediacy of danger often means leaving home with only her children and the clothes on their backs. To help ease this traumatic upheaval, the NLI transforms a basic shelter space into a library complete with furniture, hundreds of books, a computer and various comfort items – and it quickly becomes both an educational resource and a safe haven for the youngest victims of domestic violence.

It was wonderful to learn more about this terrific First Book partner’s work to bring the magic of new books to children in domestic violence shelters across the country. To learn more about First Book’s support of this powerful initiative check out the video below, courtesy of JWI.

Posted in Books & Reading, First Book Events, Literacy - Tagged , , ,

Before there were Libraries, there were “Book Women”

Dec01
2008 Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

Have you ever wondered what people did before they could swing into a bookstore or go to the library? A new book on the First Book Marketplace, That Book Woman, gives some insight into this very question.

That Book Woman tells the story of brave, strong pack horse librarians–often called ‘Book Women’–in the Appalachian Mountains, who helped untold numbers of children discover stories  “amid the chicken scratch”.   A lovesong to those who give their all to promote books and to those who struggle to learn to read them,  That Book Woman shines the spotlight on the power of books and makes this story affordable to  programs serving children from low-income families nationwide.

The First Book Marketplace is proud to announce That Book Woman, written by Heather Henson and illustrated by Caldecott Medal-Winning Illustrator David Small, as its latest Special Edition.

Together with our partner Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, That Book Woman is being simultaneously released in hardcover to the general public and in a special softcover format exclusively through the First Book Marketplace!

Learn more about the book and how you can purchase copies for your program online.

Posted in Books & Reading, Marketplace

A thought for the day…

Oct29
2008 Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

“Literacy begins in hearts, not heads.  There is a poem or story to raise the goosebumps on the toughest skin and we are well advised to try and find it.  A child never thrilled to words will remain indifferent to reading and writing them.”

-Glenna Davis Sloan, The Child as Critic

Posted in General, Literacy

What is a Huggable Hero?

Jul28
2008 Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

I was recently lucky enough to find out. A few weeks ago one of First Book’s longstanding partners, Build-A-Bear Workshop®, invited me to speak with an amazing collection of young leaders who are making profound differences in their communities — and far beyond. Build-A-Bear Workshop defines a “huggable hero” as a young person doing “pawsome stuff” to make a difference in their neighborhood, school or community.

I suppose I was asked to speak to these young people because those planning the event thought the kids might learn something from what I said — but the one doing the real learning that day was me. I met so many people making real change, including an inspiring woman named Dallas Jessup, Founder and Spokesperson of the Just Yell Fire Program. Just Yell Fire is an organization with the sole mission of empowering girls age 11 to 19. Over the past two years they’ve changed the lives of more than 460,000 girls in 41 countries – great results by any measure, greater still considering that Dallas is just 16 years old.

Dallas and the other Huggable Heroes reminded me that we can all make a difference — and that people certainly don’t need to wait to start making that difference until they are “all grown up”. Thank, Dallas, for reminding me of that…not that I plan to ever really grow up anyway. For more information of Just Yell Fire click here. For more information on Build-A-Bear Workshops innovative Huggable Heroes program click here.

Posted in Books & Reading

First Book Marketplace at the Social Enterprise Alliance Summit

Mar20
2008 Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

I recently attended the Social Enterprise Alliance’s annual summit in Boston.  This gathering of social change leaders from around the world brought together entrepreneurs, lenders, investors, consultants, researchers and educators from a variety of social enterprises to share best practices and highlight leading initiatives.  I am happy to say that the First Book Marketplace was invited to present at two panels focusing on funding opportunities for innovative organizations. 

I could not be prouder of the way First Book and the First Book Marketplace continue to harness the power of the private sector to advance social change.  It was also exhilarated to be reminded how many others are doing revolutionary things in this same category around the world.  To learn more about the Social Enterprise Alliance please visit www.se-alliance.org or, better yet, join us for next year’s annual gathering April 15-17 in New Orleans!

Posted in Books & Reading, Marketplace, Social Entrepreneurship

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Jan21
2008 Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

Just a few weeks ago we announced the arrival of a special edition of Martin’s Big Words to the First Book Marketplace. This incredible picture book, written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Bryan Collier, weaves the immortal words of Dr. King into an unforgettable portrait of a man whose dream changed America — and the world — forever.

As we pause today to remember Dr. King’s powerful legacy, we are happy to say that, just a few weeks after we added this title to our site, the book has already sold out of its first Special Edition printing (a second printing will soon be on the way). This really is a wonderful testament to both the special qualities of this wonderful book and the lasting power of Dr. King’s “big” words.

For more information on the First Book Marketplace, including a range of titles specially selected for Black History Month, please visit www.fbmarketplace.org.

Posted in Books & Reading, Marketplace

A Gilligan’s Island legend anchors herself with First Book at BEA

Jul19
2007 Chandler Arnold Written by Chandler Arnold

Tina Louise Book SigningTina Louise — a Gilligan’s Island legend and longtime reading tutor — recently wrote her first children’s book, When I Grow Up and joined the First Book team to autograph copies for First Book supporters at BookExpo America. Her inspiring story brings nature and the animal kingdom together to encourage children to reach for the stars in anything they do.

In the book, Louise cleverly compares the role of an animal or insect side-by-side to what a child can grow up to be. Fireflies glow in the dark; an aspiring actress can shine on the silver screen. Spiders spin elaborate webs; an aspiring architect can create a skyscraper.

READ MORE »

Posted in Authors & Illustrators, Books & Reading
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