Bringing books and a love of reading to Cape Ann
Our mission
Fostering a Lifelong Love of Reading
At First R, our mission is simple: to inspire a lifelong love of reading, one story at a time.
Every month, our volunteer readers visit kindergarten and first-grade classrooms in Gloucester and Rockport to share engaging read-aloud experiences. After each visit, we donate a brand-new book to the classroom library—helping build a strong foundation for literacy and learning.
To encourage early reading habits at home, we also provide individual books for every child before they enter kindergarten and on select occasions throughout the school year.
Our Story
First R began in 2000 when Gloucester’s elementary school libraries were closed due to budget cuts. Instead of letting books disappear from classrooms, Founder Pat Earle stepped in with a simple but powerful idea: bring books — and community leaders — directly to kindergarten and first grade students.
What started in Gloucester soon expanded to Rockport, and today First R continues to bring joyful read-aloud experiences to Cape Ann’s youngest learners.
What We Do
Each month, local leaders — from business owners to civic and community members — visit K–1 classrooms to read a brand-new hardcover picture book aloud. After the reading, the book is gifted to the classroom library.
Teachers receive a high-quality book to keep. Students experience the magic of a live read-aloud. And children see that reading matters — not just in school, but in the whole community.
Why It Matters
Reading aloud builds vocabulary, comprehension, confidence, and a lifelong love of books. When children see respected community members sharing stories, it sends a powerful message: reading is important — and so are you.
We also hope our classroom visits inspire families to continue reading at home. When a book travels from school to sofa, the impact multiplies.
By the end of the year, many students are reading those very same books on their own — and that’s the best part of all.