First Lady Carol Mead has partnered with the McMurry Foundation and the Ellbogen Foundation to provide children throughout the state with a copy of her children’s book, Wyoming Firsts.

“Children who learn to read at grade level by third grade enjoy a far higher rate of academic success than those who don’t,” Mrs. Mead said. “Putting books into the hands of young children not only provides an opportunity for bonding with a parent or caregiver over a good story, but it also helps establish a habit of reading for information or the sheer pleasure of it.”

Mrs. Mead wrote Wyoming Firsts: A Children’s Book in 2013 to have something to read to children about our state when she visited daycares, preschools, libraries, and elementary schools. Her hope was to help them learn about all of the “firsts” in Wyoming’s history. Since then, with the help of generous corporate sponsors, Mrs. Mead has provided first graders throughout the state with a copy of the book. The gifts from the Ellbogen Foundation and the McMurry Foundation will continue that tradition.

“I have very much appreciated the commitment of the First Lady in her role to promote literacy, starting with our youngest children,” says Mary Garland of the Ellbogen Foundation. “Her book is one more way to encourage and excite kids to read and learn about the wonderful state of Wyoming at the same time.  It’s a pleasure for the Ellbogen Foundation to support this great work.”

To date, nearly 20,000 first graders in Wyoming have received a copy of Wyoming Firsts. Both soft cover and hard cover editions are also available for purchase through the Wyoming State Museum gift shop online and in the Cheyenne store.