Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question about the First Book Canada Marketplace or need help? Explore our helpful FAQs to find the answer!

Have a question about the First Book Canada Marketplace or need help? Explore our helpful FAQs to find the answer!

New to First Book Canada?

To log in and start shopping on the First Book Canada Marketplace, educators and program leaders are required to sign up to become a First Book Canada member (for FREE). Registration takes about 5 minutes, and we'll ask you some quick questions about your school/program and the kids and families you serve to confirm your eligibility to receive books and resources from First Book Canada. Once you become a member, you’ll be added to our email list to receive info about additional First Book Canada member benefits, including special offerings from the First Book Canada Marketplace and funding opportunities thanks to support from our generous partners and donors. Thank you for the incredible work you do for children and families in your community every day. Click the button below to join our community of educators and practitioners serving children and families in need!

Click to begin First Book Canada member registration.Click to begin First Book Canada member registration.

How do I contact First Book Canada?

Our friendly Member Services team is available to assist you Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm ET (excluding major holidays). Please feel welcome to reach out anytime!

First Book Canada Marketplace FAQs


What is the First Book Canada Marketplace?

The First Book Canada Marketplace is an online store exclusively for educators and program leaders serving kids in need. Throughout the First Book Canada Marketplace you'll find thousands of affordable, high-quality, brand new books and educational resources for kids ages 0-18. In addition to books, we offer a variety of school supplies, educational games and activities, digital learning tools, basic needs items, and more! On the First Book Canada Marketplace, members can also access brand-new books in bulk for just the cost of shipping and handling through our one-of-a-kind Book Bank thanks to generous donations from our publishing partners.

In addition to books and supplies, First Book Canada also offers a variety of free resources for educators through First Book Canada's Accelerator™. Explore our Free Resources page to find expert-informed free resources—such as tip sheets, toolkits, and webinars—on critical topics like supporting students who’ve experienced trauma, promoting diversity & inclusion in the classroom, developing social & emotional learning, and more.

To access the resources available on the First Book Canada Marketplace, you must sign up and join First Book Canada’s community of educators serving kids in need and answer some questions about your school or program’s eligibility. Educators and program leaders can create a free account anytime at www.fbmpcanada.org/register.

Can anyone purchase from First Book Canada?

First Book Canada’s mission is to provide books and resources exclusively to educators and program leaders serving children from low-income families. Books and resources available on the First Book Canada Marketplace are not available to the general public. Publishers sell and donate books and resources to First Book Canada with the express knowledge that they will only be provided to schools and programs that meet First Book Canada's eligibility criteria. If you are a teacher, health care provider, school support personnel, librarian, early learning professional, community program or afterschool staff, and/or you serve low-income children and families in another capacity, please visit www.fbmpcanada.org/register to sign up for free!

Need assistance with your registration or have a question about your eligibility? Contact our friendly Member Services team at 1-866-READ-NOW (1-866-732-3669) or help@firstbook.org.

First Book Canada only serves educators and practitioners serving children in need. For parents/caregivers who are interested in First Book Canada, we encourage you to tell your child's school or program about us so they can become a member. Parents/caregivers are not able to order books and resources directly from First Book Canada at this time. For more information about First Book Canada's mission and other ways to get involved, please visit www.firstbookcanada.org/.

Does First Book Canada offer funding for books and resources?

While First Book Canada is not able to provide funding for every school or program in our network, there are often opportunities for funding support available. First Book Canada works with dozens of corporate and non-profit partners to provide funding to our members throughout the year. Depending on the program, funding opportunities may only be available to specific segments of the First Book Network (for example, schools in Toronto, second grade teachers, food banks, etc.). First Book Canada members will be notified via email when they are eligible to participate in any of these programs. Funding is typically distributed in the form of first-come, first-served promo codes or grant applications where awardees receive a gift certificate to the First Book Canada Marketplace.

First Book Canada also offers a FREE online fundraising platform which we encourage our members to use. This free online fundraising tool makes it easy for you to share your story with your network, and ask for their support of your organization, classroom, or program. Become a champion by clicking here.

I'm not receiving emails from First Book Canada. Please help!

To ensure that you receive emails from First Book Canada, please add noreply@firstbook.org to your email account contacts or your safe senders list. This will make sure all our emails —including emails that contain information about funding opportunities or local book distributions —arrive to your primary inbox. Also, please double check that we have the best email address for you on file. You can update your email address anytime in the Account Information section of your 'My Account' page.

If you've tried everything above and you are still not receiving emails from First Book Canada, please contact our Member Services team for assistance.

How much is shipping?

To help you stretch your budget as far as possible, all orders with a subtotal of $100.00 (CAD) or more include FREE shipping. Orders with a subtotal below $100.00 ship for a flat fee of $10.00. Instead of spending money on shipping, just add a few more books to your cart so it's over $100!

Please note that the flat rate shipping fee of $10.00 does not apply to items from the Book Bank section of the First Book Canada Marketplace. The “You Pay” amount you see on Book Bank items reflects the cost of shipping and handling for those items—the books are FREE. If you have items from elsewhere on the Marketplace in your cart and your subtotal is below $100.00, you are welcome to add items from the Book Bank section to bring your subtotal over $100.00 so you are not charged the $10.00 flat rate shipping fee.

*At the moment orders over $100.00 ship for free but we reserve the right to charge additional shipping fees for shipments to the territories. If you would like to discuss shipping fees to Canadian territories, please contact our Member Services team for assistance.

When can I expect my order to be delivered?

Due to labor shortages, increased demand, and supply chain disruptions related to the pandemic, our standard shipping timeline has extended. Please allow up to 25 business days for delivery from the date First Book Canada receives payment for your order. We appreciate your patience while we prepare and ship your order and want you to know that we are working to shorten our shipping timeframe. Many orders are arriving in under 25 business days, but we encourage you to plan for this much time (especially when ordering books/resources for upcoming events).

You can access the tracking information for your order once it has shipped by clicking on 'My Orders' within your 'My Account' page. Please be aware that your order may arrive in more than one shipment over the course of several days, as orders ship from multiple warehouse locations.

First Book Canada uses the United Parcel Service (UPS) as the primary carrier to ship all items purchased from the First Book Canada Marketplace. UPS Ground delivers packages anytime Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Weekend delivery is available in eligible locations. Visit the UPS site to learn more about UPS weekend services. Please be aware UPS cannot deliver to a PO Box. If a PO Box is used, it is not guaranteed the order will be delivered successfully as this is a member error, First Book Canada is not responsible for reshipments. Refer to our incorrect address questions for more details. Please note that orders shipping to territories may be delivered by a carrier other than UPS and may require additional time for delivery.

Please note that certain items on the First Book Canada Marketplace (i.e. some cartons, collections, Playaways) ship from third party vendors, and therefore the standard shipping time frame does not apply. The shipping timeframe for these items will be indicated on their product pages.

What payment methods are accepted?

The following payment options are available:

  • Credit Card – First Book Canada Marketplace accepts Visa and MasterCard. When you place an order, First Book Canada contacts the issuing bank to confirm the validity of the payment method. Your bank reserves the funds until the transaction processes or the authorization expires, but this isn't an actual charge.
  • Check – Please note that your order will not ship until after payment is received. Please include your order number on the check for faster processing. Checks can be mailed to can be made Payable to: First Book Canada, 349 Carlaw Avenue Unit 203, Toronto, ON M4M 2T1
  • Gift Certificates – Many of our partners provide virtual gift certificates to local organizations to purchase resources from the First Book Canada Marketplace. If you have received a gift certificate, you will be notified via email with the gift amount and online redemption instructions. To check the balance of your gift certificate, log in to your First Book Canada Marketplace account using the button at the top right-hand corner of the page. Once you are in 'My Account,' click on 'Check Your Gift Card Balance' to view your gift certificate balance. If you have lost your gift certificate number or have any questions, please contact our Member Services team.
  • Promo Codes – If you are applying a promo code to your order, please see our helpful FAQs section concerning promo codes.

Please note that First Book Canada does not physically mail invoices to your billing address. At checkout, you have the option to add an additional email address to receive all communications associated with your order, including your invoice. We recommend using this feature if you would like to copy a third party on all your order communications.

How do I apply a gift certificate to my order?

If your program has an available gift certificate to use, you can apply it to your order in your shopping cart or at checkout. To apply your gift certificate to your order:

  • Locate the field titled 'Gift Certificates'
  • Enter your unique gift certificate number (copy and paste recommended!)
  • Click the button that says 'Add Gift Certificate.'
  • If your gift certificate does not cover the full amount of your order, you will need to provide a payment method to cover the balance.

You should see the grand total of your order update automatically. If your gift certificate does cover the full order, you will not be required to provide an additional payment method (please note that gift certificates may not apply to sales tax applied to your order).

Please note that your gift certificate may be restricted to a specific selection of books or other resources on the First Book Marketplace. Please pay careful attention to any instructions provided in your gift certificate award email, which may also include a link to a specific section or page where you can choose books/resources.

How do I add a promo code to my order?

If you've received a notification about a promo code to use, you can apply it to your order in your shopping cart or at checkout. To apply your promo code to your order:

  • Locate the field titled 'Promo Code'
  • Enter your unique promo code (copy and paste recommended!)
  • Click the button that says 'Apply Promo Code.'
  • You should see the grand total of your order update automatically.

Please note that you can only use one promo code per order. If you have two promo codes you'd like to use, you will need to place two separate orders. Please pay close attention to any specific terms/fine print outlined at the bottom of First Book Canada emails containing a promo code. Codes are often limited to one use per member, may be restricted to certain sections or categories, and are available to our members on a first-come, first-served basis.

Why isn't my promo code working?

There are multiple reasons why a promo code might not work. These include, but are not limited to:

  • The code has already reached the maximum number of uses. Promo codes are available on a first come, first served basis so be sure to place your order soon after you see an announcement!
  • The code is for a specific selection of books or other resources. If you received an email notifying you of the promotion with a link to a specific page, the code may only apply to books and/or resources from that designated section.
  • The code has expired. Certain promotions are only available for a limited amount of time.

If you have additional questions as to why your promo code is not working, please contact our friendly Member Services team.

I'm in my shopping cart and ready to check out but it won't let me proceed to the checkout…Help!

If you are unable to proceed to checkout, please first refer to any error messages in red that may appear on the page and make the required adjustments to your order (e.g., remove out of stock items from your cart). If you have a quantity higher than currently in stock availability for a certain item in your cart, the quantity currently available will be listed underneath product to help you adjust your order accordingly. If you have followed these steps and are still unable to checkout, please contact our friendly Member Services team.

What does my order status mean?

As we work to fulfill orders placed through the First Book Canada Marketplace there are several different statuses that your order may go through. Your order’s status is always noted in your Account Dashboard for your reference. Here is a quick summary of what each order status means.

  • Check Pending – First Book Canada has not yet received your check payment for your order. The items in your order will be reserved for 30 days from the date your order was placed while we wait to receive your check. Checks can be mailed to: First Book Canada, 349 Carlaw Avenue Unit 203, Toronto, ON M4M 2T1. Once your check has been received and processed, we will release your order for fulfillment. To cancel an order in Check Pending status, please visit the 'My Orders' section of your 'My Account' page.
  • Processing – Your order was placed successfully and is pending transfer to the warehouse for fulfillment. To cancel an order in Processing status, please visit the 'My Orders' section of your 'My Account' page. Please note that your order will only stay in Processing status for a few hours after you place your order online. We cannot guarantee cancellations or adjustments to your order once it has been transferred to the warehouse for processing.
  • Warehouse Processing – Your order has been transferred to the fulfillment warehouse and is being prepared for shipment. We cannot guarantee cancellations or adjustments to your order once it has been transferred to the warehouse for processing.
  • Partial – Some, but not all, of the items in your order have shipped.
  • Complete – Your order has shipped and tracking information has been posted to your 'My Account' page (you can find this by clicking View Order then click on the Shipments link). Please note that First Book Canada operates out of multiple warehouses, so you may receive multiple shipments for your order.
  • Cancelled – Your order has been cancelled and will not be fulfilled. Orders can be cancelled by First Book Canada if you do not send us a check within 30 days of your online order being placed, or if we detect fraudulent activity (e.g., re-selling books received from First Book). First Book Canada reserves the right to cancel orders when members violate terms of use for funded opportunities, or if we deem an account to be fraudulent or in violation of your user agreement.

Do any books/products come with reading guides or other resources?

Some products on the First Book Canada Marketplace feature free resources (tip sheets, toolkits, etc.) to help support the reading or learning experience. If a product is paired with a free resource, that resource will be available for immediate download from the product page. Please note you must be logged in to download resources. Free Resources are NOT shipped.

What is First Book Canada's return policy?

Every time you make a purchase on the First Book Canada Marketplace you are also supporting our mission to empower and equip educators serving children in need. To keep the books and resources we offer as affordable as possible, First Book Canada cannot guarantee cancellations or adjustments to your order it has been transferred to the warehouse for processing. We cannot accept returns and all orders are final (including orders for digital products).

However, if you notice that you made a mistake on your order, please call our friendly Member Services team (1-866-READ-NOW) as soon as possible to discuss your options with a representative. Order adjustment fees may apply. We encourage you to review the information provided on each product's information page carefully prior to placing your order. In addition, you may want to research titles before purchasing them by entering the product information that we provide (title, author, ISBN) into an online search engine for more descriptions or reviews. Please also carefully review the quantity of each item in your shopping cart prior to checking out, and note that certain items are sold in bulk. If you have questions about a specific book or product, please contact our friendly Member Services team before you place your order.

I placed an order with an incorrect shipping address. What can I do?

We encourage you to carefully review all order details prior to submitting your order. However, we understand that mistakes can happen, and we want to do everything we can to successfully deliver books and resources to the kids you serve.

Orders in Check Pending or Processing status can be cancelled and reordered by visiting the 'My Orders' section of your 'My Account' page. Once your order has transferred to 'Warehouse Processing' status, we can no longer guarantee cancellation. However, if you notice that your shipping address is incorrect, please call our friendly Member Services team team (1-866-READ-NOW) right away to discuss your options with a representative. In some instances, we can reach out to our warehouse to manually cancel your order before it ships. To cover the additional warehouse costs passed along to First Book Canada in these cases, a cancellation fee of 20% of the total order value will be assessed.

The risk of loss for any items purchased through First Book Canada passes to you if the carrier tracking information shows that your items have been shipped and successfully delivered to the shipping address on your order. First Book Canada is unable to issue any refunds.

If a delivery is unsuccessful due to a member error, First Book Canada is not responsible for reshipment. Once a package has returned to our warehouse, we can reship your item(s) for a fee of 20% of your order total. If you would not like your item(s) reshipped, a restocking fee of 20% of the order total will be assessed prior to issuing any refund. Member error includes but is not limited to: providing an incorrect shipping address, providing a Post Office Box as a shipping address, or providing a shipping address that is not available for delivery.

If all or part of your order is returned to our warehouse and you would like it reshipped, you must contact our Member Services team within 30 days of the original ship date. If you do not contact us within 30 days, we will restock your order and a restocking fee of 20% of the order total will be assessed.

An item from my order is missing or damaged. What do I do?

If something is missing from your order, please review the shipping timeframe and any tracking information you have received—you may have shipments that are still on the way as orders often arrive in multiple shipments.

If you are still missing an item from your order after you've received all shipments or if you've received an item that is damaged, please contact our Member Services team (1-866-READ-NOW). If possible, please email us a picture of any damaged items. Do not distribute any damaged items until after you contact First Book Canada for further instructions. Missing or damaged items are subject to verification. Orders placed with a promo a code that contain missing or damaged items may not be eligible for replacements.

Please note that refunds will not be issued for any missing or damaged items reported to First Book Canada more than 90 days after your order has shipped. Refunds will cover the purchase price of the missing/damaged item plus any applicable taxes and will be issued by cheque. The risk of loss for any items purchased from the First Book Marketplace and the responsibility of the seller end upon transfer of the inventory to the shipping carrier.

Can books or resources from First Book Canada be resold?

Books, resources, or any goods obtained via the fbmpcanada.org website are strictly prohibited from being resold for any reason. Any breach of this policy may lead to legal consequences including (but not limited to) exclusion from our network. Access to the First Book Canada Marketplace is exclusively granted to individuals and organizations that serve children in need and meet First Book Canada's eligibility requirements.

Why was I charged sales tax on my order?

By default, we collect Goods and Services Tax (GST) on orders placed by organizations located in Canada. Shipments going to a residence may be subject to additional Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

How can I find a copy of my invoice?

  • Log in to your First Book Canada Marketplace account and visit your 'My Account' page.
  • Click on 'My Orders' along the left-hand side of the page.
  • Select the order you need an invoice for by clicking on 'View Order' in the 'Information' column.
  • At the top right-hand corner of that screen, click on 'Print Order.' The order summary serves as your invoice and will open in a new tab.
  • Please share that invoice with your accounts payable personnel if you require them to submit the payment on your behalf. First Book Canada only sends an automated order confirmation email to the First Book Canada account holder (and any additional email address you've entered using the additional email feature at checkout).

Will my shopping cart be saved?

Items added to your First Book Canada Marketplace shopping cart will be saved and visible to you the next time you log in—even if you log in from a different computer. If you wish to save a list of items separate from your shopping cart you can add items to your wishlist.

Please note: Adding an item to your shopping cart or wish list does not reserve the item, and it may go out of stock. Items are not reserved until your order is placed. Items may disappear from your shopping or wish list when they go out of stock. You can only have one shopping cart and one wish list at a time.

I am looking for a specific title. How do I find it?

If you are looking for a specific title or product, use the search bar at the top of your screen. Please ensure all search terms are spelled correctly. To narrow your search further, click on 'Advanced Search' (in the header or the footer of any page). In 'Advanced Search' you will be able to enter more information about the title your looking for including language, age range, ISBN, etc.

I searched for a specific title but can't find it. Will you be getting this title?

The products that you see on the First Book Canada Marketplace reflect our entire available inventory at the time you are on the site. We are not able to guarantee that a specific title or item will be back in stock as we make room for newer titles.

If you have any questions about specific titles, or would like to find out if we are in the process of reordering them, contact our friendly Member Services team.

I wrote a product review, but I don't see it on the page. How long will it take to post?

Product reviews usually publish within 15 minutes but may take up to 72 hours to appear—thank you for your patience!

Please note, reviews are moderated to ensure they add value to First Book members and will be published only if they meet the following criteria:

  • The review must not contain profanity or explicit language.
  • The review content is in no way racist, sexist, homophobic, or in any other way demeans, ridicules, bullies, or displays bias against a group or individual.
  • The review must not promote the services of and/or include a website URL or email address for an individual, organization, or company.
  • The review may not contain any false allegations.

How can I update my account information?

You can update your account information by logging in to your account and visiting your 'My Account' page. You can edit your contact information, saved address, and password at any time.

Where are the free books?

The First Book Canada Marketplace has thousands of items, including a variety of non-book resources such as school supplies, digital learning devices, and basic needs items. There are also a variety of free resources such as tip sheets for family engagement available on the First Book Canada Marketplace. When you become a member, you'll start receiving email updates from First Book Canada—including any opportunities to receive free books thanks to support from our generous donors or partners. While these opportunities are not available 100% of the time, here are some additional free opportunities we encourage you to explore!

  • Visit the Book Bank! Books and resources in the book bank are available for just the cost of shipping and handling (often in bulk) thanks to generous donations from our publishing partners. The Book Bank is a great solution for schools and programs with limited budget, a lot of kids to serve, and flexibility around content (as we cannot control which titles are donated).
  • Explore free educational resources from the First Book Canada Accelerator™. Our members drive everything that we do, and every now and then we may ask you to share your unique needs and concerns in surveys or focus groups. The feedback you provide drives the development of expert-informed free resources for educators on relevant topics like race and social justice, student mental health, and social and emotional learning (SEL).

Who can I contact for additional help?

Please feel welcome to contact our friendly Member Services team! We are available to assist you Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm Eastern Time (excluding major holidays).