First Book recently had the pleasure of speaking with author and illustrator Natalie Babbitt , the author of the classic ALA Notable Children’s book Tuck Everlasting and Newbery Honor Book Kneeknock Rise, among many other titles for children. She is also a member of the board of directors of the National Children’s Book and Literacy […]

 

 Podcast with Natalie Babbitt: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Guest Blogger Lydia Breiseth is the manager of the bilingual English-Spanish website Colorín Colorado, whose mission is to provide educators and parents with information about teaching English language learners to read and succeed.   Ms. Breiseth began her career teaching English to adults in Ecuador with the educational exchange program WorldTeach, and has subsequently taught English […]

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As some of our readers know, First Book’s office happens to be located just a few short blocks from what is perhaps one of the world’s most iconic homes, the White House. We’ve all seen images of it, but very few of us know what life is truly like for those who live inside.
However, Candlewick […]

 

 Podcast with Mary Brigid Barrett: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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What do Charlotte’s Web, Peanuts cartoons, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, and The Lord of the Rings have in common, you ask?
They all served to inspire bestselling authors Nancy Yi Fan, Mo Willems, Jeff Kinney , and Rick Riordan to get hooked on reading!
First Book is thrilled to include these amazing award-winning authors in this […]

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In May of this year, Oprah Winfrey devoted an entire episode of her show to the “world’s smartest kids” and their incredible accomplishments. One of the featured kids on the program was none other than HarperCollins’ youngest best-selling children’s book author and What Book Got You Hooked? contributor, Nancy Yi Fan!
Don’t worry if you missed […]

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Libraries can change lives. All of us here at First Book know this, and so does literary icon Ray Bradbury, who recently wrote a fantastic Op/Ed piece in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on the potential closing of the Main Library in Long Beach, California.
Bradbury, who clearly proves that he’s still as feisty as ever at […]

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Recently, a few friends and I decided it was time for a bit of a “wild rumpus” art adventure. We jumped in the car and took a quick day trip from DC to Philadelphia, on a mission to check out Philly’s Rosenbach Museum and Library.
Now, if you don’t immediately think “wild rumpus” when you think […]

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The year was 1989, and Miss Reidy was my teacher. Like all third-graders, I was trying to find my way in the socially turbulent life of an 8-year old.
And then I met Laura Ingalls. She was a young girl, like me, who was generally well-behaved but sometimes her curiosity and determination came across […]

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As frequent readers of this blog know, I really admire children’s book authors and illustrators. This is because these delightful folks tend to be at least one (if not all) of these things: funny, creative, great dinner companions, snappy dressers… you get the picture. And when I’m in the presence of such authors, I get […]

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Last night, I had the immense pleasure of listening to leading author and children’s literature historian Leonard Marcus read from his newly published work, Minders of Make-Believe: Idealists, Entrepreneurs, and the Shaping of American Children’s Literature (Houghton Mifflin Co.) at one of DC’s most popular bookstores, Politics and Prose.
The near-capacity crowd listened intently as […]

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