EXHIBIT 23

                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

McGladrey & Pullen
Certified Public Accountants

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the  incorporation by reference in the  Registration  Statement of
First Federal Bankshares,  Inc. on Form S-8 of our report, dated August 6, 2004,
appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K of First Federal  Bankshares,  Inc.
for the year ended June 30, 2004.


                                                  McGLADREY & PULLEN, LLP

Des Moines, Iowa
September 28, 2004



                          Independent Auditors' Consent

The Board of Directors
First Federal Bankshares, Inc.:

We consent to incorporation  by reference in the Registration  Statement on Form
S-8 of First  Federal  Bankshares,  Inc.  of our  report  dated  August 8, 2003,
relating to the consolidated  balance sheets of First Federal  Bankshares,  Inc.
and subsidiaries as of June 30, 2003, and the related consolidated statements of
operations,  changes in stockholders' equity and comprehensive  income, and cash
flows for each of the years in the two-year  period  ended June 30, 2003,  which
report appears in the June 30, 2004, annual report on Form 10-K of First Federal
Bankshares, Inc.


                                  /s/ KPMG LLP

Des Moines, Iowa
September 24, 2004