Open Books 2024: Books with the word "First" in the title

The Open Books Reading Challenge is a year-long reading challenge for people interested in pushing the boundaries of their reading. For full details of the program, please check-out our page at: https://www.rplmn.org/books-more/discover-more/open-books-reading-challenge

This list is to help you find books that fit the 2024 category of "Books with the word 'first' in the title"

Happy Reading!


Updated December 19, 2023
RPL Staff
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The first phone call from heaven
Albom, Mitch
Paper Book
The First Phone Call from Heaven tells the story of a small town on Lake Michigan that gets worldwide attention when its citizens start receiving phone calls from the afterlife. Is it the greatest miracle ever or a massive hoax? Sully Harding, a grief-stricken single father, is determined to find...
First comes marriage
Balogh, Mary.
Paper Book
Against the scandal and seduction of Regency England, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh introduces an extraordinary family--the fiery, sensual Huxtables. Vanessa is the second daughter, proud and daring, a young widow who has her own reason for pursuing the most eligible bachelor in...
Find you first : a novel
Barclay, Linwood
Paper Book
The New York Times bestselling author of Elevator Pitch and master of psychological suspense returns with a riveting thriller in which the possible heirs of a dying tech millionaire are mysteriously being eliminated, one by one. "Find You First starts with a bang and ends with an even...
The first cat in space and the soup of doom
Barnett, Mac
Paper Book
Award-winning creators Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris are back with the second volume in the bestselling The First Cat in Space graphic novel series! Secret tales of woe, hilarious new characters, and dangerous plans of sabotage will keep readers delighted and laughing until the...
The first ladies
Benedict, Marie
Paper Book
The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune refuses to back down as white supremacists attempt to thwart her work. She marches on as an activist and an educator, and as her reputation grows she becomes a celebrity, revered by titans of business and recognized by U.S. Presidents....
First earl I see tonight
Bennett, Anna (Romance novelist)
Paper Book
Once upon a time three young ladies vowed to record their first London seasons...and to fill in the gaps of their finishing school educations. Thus began The Debutante Diaries--and London will never be the same... "Fans of Regency romance authors Eloisa...
First king of Shannara
Brooks, Terry.
Paper Book
Horrified by the misuse of magic they had witnessed during the First War of the Races, the Druids at Paranor devoted themselves to the study of the old sciences, from the period before the collapse of civilization a thousand years before. Only the Bremen and a few trusted associates still studied...
Montalbano's first case and other stories
Camilleri, Andrea
Paper Book
Inspector Montalbano has charmed readers in nineteen popular novels, and now in Montalbano's First Case and Other Stories, Andrea Camilleri has selected twenty-one short stories, written with his trademark wit and humor, that follow Italy's famous detective through highlight cases of his career....
The first man
Camus, Albert
Paper Book
Camus tells the story of Jacques Cormery, a boy who lived a life much like his own. Camus summons up the sights, sounds and textures of a childhood circumscribed by poverty and a father's death yet redeemed by the austere beauty of Algeria and the boy's attachment to his nearly deaf-mute mother....
Not if I save you first
Carter, Ally
Paper Book
A heart-pounding story about a girl stranded in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness with the boy who wronged her... as an assassin moves in.Maddie thought she and Logan would be friends forever. But when your dad is a Secret Service agent and your best friend is the president's son, sometimes life...
You say it first
Cotugno, Katie
Paper Book
An addictive, irresistible YA novel about two teens from different worlds who fall for each other after a voter registration call turns into a long-distance romance--from Katie Cotugno, the New York Times bestselling author of 99 Days. Perfect for fans of Mary H.K. Choi, Robin...
America's first daughter
Dray, Stephanie
Paper Book
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson's eldest daughter, Martha "Patsy" Jefferson Randolph-...
First & only : a black woman's guide to thriving at work and in life
Farmer, Jennifer R.
Paper Book
As Black women, we have to work twice as hard to be perceived as half as skilled. We have to work until August of this year to earn what a white man made by last December. We are besieged by racist and sexist bullying online. People feel free to touch and comment on our hair--and then ask us why...
The first rule of Climate Club
Firestone, Carrie
Paper Book
An eighth grader starts a podcast on climate activism and rallies her friends to create lasting change in their local community and beyond, in this companion to Dress Coded. When Mary Kate Murphy joins a special science pilot program focused on climate change, the class...
Boys come first
Foley, Aaron
Paper Book
This hilarious, touching debut novel by Aaron Foley, author of How to Live in Detroit Without Being a Jackass, follows three Black gay millennial men looking for love, friendship, and professional success in the Motor...
The heat will kill you first : life and death on a scorched planet
Goodell, Jeff
Paper Book
New York Times best-selling journalist Jeff Goodell presents a "masterful, bracing" (David Wallace-Wells) examination of the impact that temperature rise will have on our lives and on our planet, offering a vital new perspective on where we are headed, how we can prepare, and what...
The first confessor : the legend of Magda Searus
Goodkind, Terry.
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Terry Goodkind comes The First Confessor, the prequel to the Sword of Truth In a time before legends had yet been born... Married to the powerful leader of her people, safe among those gifted with great ability, Magda...
My first garden
Gosling, Livi
Paper Book
This beautifully illustrated guide is the perfect gardening book for kids who want to plant fruit and vegetables, create mini farms from plants, and go on wildflower missions. Dive into this children's guide to growing plants, from vegetables to wildflowers, for little gardeners...
Mr. Lemoncello's very first game
Grabenstein, Chris
Paper Book
Before Mr. Lemoncello became everyone's favorite game maker, he was a kid who liked to roll the dice . . . Discover the origins of what James Patterson calls "the coolest library in the world" in this PREQUEL to the New York Timesbestselling Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library....
Coffee first, then the world
Graham, Jenny
Paper Book
SELECTED FOR THE BBC AND READING AGENCY'S BIG SPORTING READ 2024 SHORTLISTED FOR THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2024 - CYCLING BOOK OF THE YEAR A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 - SPORT 'An amazing adventure... I was left in total awe' - Lorraine...
The first wish
Granted, Trish
Paper Book
In the first book of the Jeanie and Genie series, new student Willow Davis turns fellow second grader Jeanie Bell's life upside down with her unbelievable, magical secret! For Jeanie Bell, things at Rivertown Elementary are nice, normal, and totally average--just the way...
The first case
Gumpaw, Felix
Paper Book
In this first installment of the Pup Detectives graphic novel series, the pup detectives of Pawston Elementary join forces to solve the crimes happening all around them. Can they nab the lunchtime bandit who's been stealing all the best snacks from the cafeteria? Puppy PI Rider...
When I first held you
Harris, Anstey
Paper Book
Silence tore them apart. Can the truth bring them back together? "Marvellous" --Lesley Pearse "A hauntingly beautiful novel" --Imogen Clark "Gripping, heart rending and extremely satisfying" --Katie Fforde In 1960s...
Kitten's first full moon
Henkes, Kevin.
Paper Book
This nationally bestselling picture book about a kitten, the moon, and a bowl of milk, written by the celebrated author and illustrator Kevin Henkes, was awarded a Caldecott Medal. From one of the most celebrated and beloved picture book creators working in the field today comes a...
The First Lady and the rebel
Higginbotham, Susan
Paper Book
From celebrated author Susan Higginbotham comes an incredible book about Abraham Lincoln's First Lady and, on the other side of the Civil War, her sister. A Union's First Lady As the Civil War cracks the country in two, Mary Lincoln stands beside her husband praying for a swift...
Brave, black, first : 50+ African American women who changed the world
Hudson, Cheryl Willis
Paper Book
Published in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, discover over fifty remarkable African American women whose unique skills and contributions paved the way for the next generation of young people. Perfect for fans of Rad Women Worldwide,...
First grave on the right
Jones, Darynda.
Paper Book
First Grave on the Right is the smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.   Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to...
First Light
Kerin, Liz
Paper Book
"A Phoebe Bridgers song in book form, I felt and bled, willingly and gratefully."--CJ Leede, author of Maeve Fly With Night's Edge, Liz Kerin took a bite out of vampire lore. The riveting sequel, First Light, is about seizing a brighter future by confronting...
The first love
Lewis, Beverly
Paper Book
It's the summer of 1951, and Maggie Esh is in need of some hope. Sweet-spirited and uncommonly pretty despite struggling with chronic illness, she is used to being treated kindly by the young men of her Old Order Amish church district. Yet Maggie wishes she were more like other courting-age girls so...
First light : a journey out of darkness
Matthiessen, Lucas
Paper Book
A deeply felt literary memoir of one man's journey to redemption through vision loss, alcoholism, and the burden of a family legacy.   Born to the author Peter Matthiessen, young Lucas traveled through life believing himself a disappointment to his famous father. From...
First blood
Morrell, David
Paper Book
First came the man: a young wanderer in a fatigue coat and long hair. Then came the legend, as John Rambo sprang from the pages of FIRST BLOOD to take his place in the American cultural landscape. This remarkable novel pits a young Vietnam veteran against a small-town cop who doesn't know whom he's...
First person singular : stories
Murakami, Haruki
Paper Book
NATIONAL BEST SELLER * A mind-bending new collection of short stories from the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author. * "Some novelists hold a mirror up to the world and some, like Haruki Murakami, use the mirror as a portal to a universe hidden beyond it." --The Wall Street Journal<...
The first family
Palmer, Michael
Paper Book
President Geoffrey Hilliard and his family live in the ever-present glare of the political limelight. The White House isn't an easy place to grow up, so when the President's son Cam, a teenage chess champion, experiences extreme fatigue, moodiness, and an uncharacteristic violent outburst, doctors...
1st to die : a novel
Patterson, James
Paper Book
Four crime-solving friends face off against a killer in San Francisco in the Women's Murder Club novel that launched James Patterson's thrilling series. Each one holds a piece of the puzzle: Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector in the San Francisco Police Department,...
First love
Patterson, James
Paper Book
In this New York Times bestseller, two high school students leave their hometown on the West Coast to go on an impulsive cross-country road trip in this moving romance about friendship and the power of love. Axi Moore is a...
First grade jitters
Quackenbush, Robert M.
Paper Book
Perfect for nervous/excited kids about to go to school (and their parents!), this engaging story convinces parents and children alike that there is no place cooler than a first-grade classroom. Time to shake those jitters! Here is the story of a young boy who is about to enter first grade...
First principles : what America's founders learned from the Greeks and Romans and how that shaped our country
Ricks, Thomas E.
Paper Book
New York Times Bestseller Editors' Choice --New York Times Book Review "Ricks knocks it out of the park with this jewel of a book. On every page I learned something new. Read it every night if you want to restore your faith in our country." --James Mattis, General, U...
First impressions
Roberts, Nora.
Paper Book
Escaping the rat race and the lure of gold-digging women, wealthy businessman Vance Banning moves to a small, rural retreat, telling the townsfolk that he's an out-of-work carpenter. All he wants is peace, quiet and to keep away from women. So the last thing he needs is a charitable neighbor-...
Spy of the first person
Shepard, Sam
Paper Book
The final work from the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, actor, and musician, drawn from his transformative last days   In searing, beautiful prose, Sam Shepard's extraordinary narrative leaps off the page with its immediacy and power. It tells in a brilliant braid of voices the story...
First look at a black hole : how a photograph solved a space mystery
Smith-Llera, Danielle
Paper Book
On-point historical photographs combined with strong narration bring the story of the first photograph of a black hole to life. Kids will learn why it was so hard to take a photo of something so dark it does not reflect light, and so far away it could barely be reached. Primary source quotations...
First sight : a novel
Steel, Danielle.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Paris, L.A., and the world of ready to wear fashion provide rich backdrops for Danielle Steel's deeply involving story of a gifted designer whose talent and drive have brought her everything--except the ability to erase her past and trust...
Second first impressions : a novel
Thorne, Sally
Paper Book
"Second First Impressions is the warmest, coziest, sweetest book of the year, an absolutely perfect blend of humor and heart. I want to live inside Sally Thorne's brain." --Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling of Beach Read From the USA Today bestselling author of The Hating...
The first magnificent summer
Toalson, R. L.
Paper Book
Judy Blume meets Barbara Dee in this tender and empowering middle grade novel told in journal entries and poetry about a young writer on the verge of becoming a woman whose summer with her estranged father doesn't turn out the way she'd hoped. Twelve-year-old Victoria Reeves is...
Fame, fate, and the first kiss
West, Kasie
Paper Book
Fan favorite author Kasie West delivers an effervescent story about chasing your dreams and following your heart, perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Huntley Fitzpatrick. Lacey Barnes has dreamed of being an actress for as long as she can remember. So when she gets the opportunity to star in...

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