First Book
Getting new books and educational resources to children in low-income communities
Our editorial assessment
First Book has built an efficient, market-based model for getting books into the hands of children who need them: it aggregates the buying power of a huge network of educators serving low-income kids, then distributes new books and resources at deep discounts or for free. That model is remarkably lean — Charity Navigator gives it a four-star rating with a program-expense ratio near 97%, among the highest in the sector. For donors focused on childhood literacy and educational equity in North America, it is an exceptionally efficient choice.
The problem they're solving
Children in low-income neighbourhoods often have little or no access to books at home, a gap strongly linked to weaker reading outcomes. First Book floods that gap with new, high-quality books at minimal cost per child, reaching millions of kids through the educators who serve them.
About First Book
First Book provides new books, educational materials, and other essentials to educators and programs serving children in low-income communities across the US and Canada.
Where your dollar goes
How this score was produced
The GiveWise score is our own editorial assessment, produced with a weighted rubric covering program spending, transparency and governance, evidence of impact, cost-effectiveness, and leadership. It draws on publicly available reports from independent evaluators such as GiveWell, Charity Navigator, and CharityWatch, but it is not a rating issued or endorsed by any of those organisations. Read the full methodology →