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New to First Book?
Join us to connect with thousands of fellow educators and access exciting educational events and resources for you and your students.
First Book’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and impact has been recognized by leading institutions such as the Library of Congress, the National Book Foundation, and more.
First Book and General Motors, in collaboration with our creative partners at 4Media Group, won a 2024 Bronze Telly Award for our video series, STEM Defines the Future. The series celebrates diversity in STEM and highlights the important role that nontechnical skills, such as resilience, problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork, play in career satisfaction and success.
First Book won the 2021 Engage for Good Gold Halo Award for the Empowering Educators program that supports courageous conversations on race in the classroom.
First Book and New York Life Foundation won the 2020 Engage for Good Gold Halo Award for Disaster Prevention/Relief and the Silver Halo Award for Employee Engagement for creating Grief Ambassadors, providing support to grieving children and their families, and for expanding the Grief, Loss, and Healing section of the First Book Marketplace.
Texas AFT, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, awarded First Book President, CEO, and Co-founder Kyle Zimmer with its Child Advocate Award for her work supporting equal access to quality education for all children.
The Halo Awards are North America’s highest honor for corporate social initiatives and cause marketing. First Book is proud to partner with Pizza Hut on The Literacy Project!
First Book President and CEO Kyle Zimmer was among the nine recipients of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in the Mid-Atlantic region for First Book’s sustainable, market-driven model.
First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer received the Jefferson Award Foundation’s annual award for outstanding public service benefiting the disadvantaged.
First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer received the Ms. Foundation for Women’s Peggy Charren/Free to Be You and Me award honoring individuals in media whose work contributes to breaking through gender and racial lines.
First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer made the 2016 Ideagen Power 100 List highlighting the 100 individuals and 100 organizations leading the way towards empowering women and girls globally.
First Book was awarded the 2015 David M. Rubenstein Prize, one of three Literacy Awards presented by the Library of Congress annually, for outstanding and measurable contributions in increasing literacy levels and for its commitment to the advancement of literacy.
First Book was recognized as a Pacesetter Partner by The Campaign For Grade-Level Reading for its sustained efforts in improving early learning and childhood literacy.
First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer received the Lifetime Collective Impact Award from Ideagen in 2014.
The National Book Foundation honored First Book CEO Kyle Zimmer with its 2014 Literarian Award for her outstanding leadership and achievements in overcoming childhood illiteracy and promoting educational equality.
This award from the National Education Association (NEA) Foundation was presented in 2013 to recognize First Book’s pioneering and innovative work and achievements to fight illiteracy.
First Book was recognized with SCBWI’s Golden Gratitude Award for outstanding contribution to the field of children’s books in August 2013.
In their 2012 ‘Investing for Impact’ report, Credit Suisse highlighted First Book’s “innovative yet pragmatic approach” to solving the problem of child illiteracy.
First Book president and CEO Kyle Zimmer was awarded the Carle Honor from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in 2009 for her work on behalf of children’s literacy.
First Book has been on the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual list of the nation’s largest philanthropic groups since 2008.
First Book President and CEO Kyle Zimmer was honored by the American Marketing Association (AMA) and the American Marketing Association Foundation (AMAF) in 2008 for extraordinary leadership and achievement in the field of nonprofit marketing.
First Book received the ‘Social Capitalist Award’ from Fast Company and the Monitor Group for using entrepreneurial genius to solve global issues from 2004 through 2008.
First Book received the Gold Halo Award for the ‘Best Social Service/Educational Program’ from the Cause Marketing Forum in 2004, and again in 2007.
First Book received the annual ‘Community Service Award’ from SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. in 2006.
First Book President and CEO Kyle Zimmer was named ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year’ in the United States by Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship in 2006.
First Book was recognized for ‘Distinguished Service to the Literary Community’ by the Authors Guild Foundation in 2005.
First Book was a finalist for Amazon.com’s ‘Nonprofit Innovation Award’ in 2005.
First Book was awarded the Grand Prize in the Yale School of Management-Goldman Sachs Foundation Partnership on Nonprofit Ventures Business Plan Competition in 2005.
First Book was named a Gold Star Charity by Forbes Magazine in 2003.
First Book received the ‘Partner of the Year Award’ from Connect America in recognition of highly successful partnerships with the nonprofit sector in 2003.
First Book was awarded the Gold Medal for innovative cause-based marketing from the Promotion Marketing Association’s ‘Reggie Awards’ in 2002.