WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To spark the joy of reading, the national nonprofits First Book and One Word at a Time are inviting children in grades 4-8, as well as teachers and other youth-serving professionals, to the premier of a brand-new game show, “Story Showdown.” The brainchild of One Word at a Time, founded by New York Times’ bestselling author Kwame Alexander, the 30-minute show will feature renowned children’s book authors competing against each other in creative challenges for the love of young readers – and prizes for First Book members. The three-episode series will be available live and on demand on the online First Book Community Platform, a digital space providing programming to educators and other professionals who serve children in under-resourced communities nationwide. Community Platform programming is available to First Book members, with free guest access for educators who are not yet members.
The inaugural episode of “Story Showdown” will stream live on Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. ET, hosted by Alexander, with contestants Jerry Craft, the award-winning author of “New Kid” and “Class Act;” Jennifer L. Holm, the author of “Turtle in Paradise” and “The Fourteenth Goldfish”; and Tiffany D. Jackson, the author of bestselling books such as “Allegedly” and “Monday’s Not Coming.”
“This game show will connect kids with authors to make reading come alive – and make it fun,” said Tori Bachman, Executive Director of One Word at a Time. “We want to re-engage young readers in the joyful parts of reading – and what better way than a friendly competition among favorite authors? Kwame’s the perfect author personality to host, too; expect high energy and big laughs.”
The game show is just one of the marquee events featured on the First Book Community Platform. The online events, highlighting artists and engaging students in the creative process, are part of the nonprofit’s ongoing Time for Change initiative, made possible by the generous support of Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer, Audemars Piguet, under the guidance of the Audemars Piguet Foundations. A multi-year initiative, Time for Change has reached more than 230,000 educators and seven million young people, empowering youth in disadvantaged communities to develop creative solutions to issues they see in their schools, communities, and beyond.
“The arts are a vital part of education – and thanks to Audemars Piguet, we are giving young people and educators in under-resourced communities access to inspiring authors, artists, and experts – bringing live interactions directly to children who are least likely to have these opportunities,” said Kyle Zimmer, President and CEO of First Book. “Connecting children with authors helps them realize their own power to write and tell stories, and sparks their interest in reading. This is just the kind of fresh programming needed right now.”
Event Details:
Date & Time: Sept. 22 from 1:00 – 1:30 p.m. ET
Who: Open to classrooms, educators, librarians, and all youth-serving professionals
Where: Online through the First Book Community Platform (join here)
Cost: Free
Future Episodes: Oct. 13 (hosted by Erin Entrada Kelly) and Nov. 12 (hosted by Kwame Alexander).
Recordings: Each show will be recorded and available for educators to view on demand.
The prizes are designed to extend the program’s goals beyond the game show—deepening students’ connection to books and providing continued access to inspiring authors. Prizes for the series include visits with Kwame Alexander, gift certificates to access books and resources from the award-winning First Book Marketplace, and classroom book collections.
The game show will also give youth-serving professionals the opportunity to learn about First Book, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for children ages 0-18 in under-resourced communities. In addition, the format offers a taste of One Word at a Time’s flagship program, Author Study, which brings Kwame Alexander and other award-winning authors virtually into classrooms throughout the school year.
About One Word at a Time
One Word at a Time is a nonprofit organization founded by Kwame Alexander to inspire a deep love of reading by connecting students with authors through authentic, accessible, and engaging events. With a mission to make reading feel like a celebration, One Word at a Time organizes interactive author-led events that reach thousands of classrooms across the country. Learn more at onewordcommunity.org.
About First Book
Education transforms lives. First Book is building a world where every child has access to a quality education. It works to remove barriers to education and level the playing field for kids in need. At the heart of its work are the 600,000+ members of the First Book Network, the largest online community of individual educators, professionals, and volunteers dedicated to supporting children living in low-income communities across North America. This Network is the key to creating lasting change. Through its research arm, First Book Research & Insights, it conducts studies that aggregate the voices of the Network to identify challenges, needs, and solutions. To address their needs, it provides free and low-cost books, resources and access to leading experts through the First Book Marketplace, which uses aggregated buying power to support their work. Founded in Washington, D.C. in 1992 as a nonprofit social enterprise, First Book is dedicated to eliminating barriers to learning and inspiring young minds. Learn more at firstbook.org.
Staci Harris First Book 314-602-1325 sharris@firstbook.org