Reading is fundamental to brain growth in small children and getting books into their hands is very important. Country singer, Dolly Parton, believes in this concept so much that she has developed a program that sends children a book every month from birth to age 5.
Courtesy of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
The Imagination Library was inspired by Parton’s father. Raised in a remote, rural community, her father had never learned to read and Parton knew that this missing element greatly affected his life. “Inspiring kids to love to read became my mission,” she says.
Each month, the Imagination Library mails high quality, age appropriate books to participating children, age birth through 5, at no cost to their families. The goal? Making sure children have access to great books in their home.
The Imagination Library began in Parton’s home state of Tennessee in 1995 and expanded across the United States in 2000. More recently, the program has expanded to Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, with Ireland joining in 2019. Over 130 million books have found their way to eager new readers since the Imagination Library began.
Studies say that reading to your kids teaches them over a million words before kindergarten. Just reading one picture book per day can add 78,000 words per year. Reading with your kids 20 minutes a day builds vocabulary and pre-reading skills.
With the Imagination Library, these kinds of books are finding their way into homes and helping more children learn to love reading. The Imagination Library is available in many communities across the country. You can check to see if it’s available in your area here.
This a awesome way to let kids learn!!
I really think this is a wonderful way of putting bokks in the hands of children. Thank you Dolly.
I would like to sign up my grand daughter please
I Live Dolly for all the great things she is doing in her community and others. Thank You
You need to make it for every where I can’t get books for my son in alabama
I would love to have my granddaughter Bella added to the list, Bella is 6 months old. Lives in Harwick, Ma.
I have 2 granddaughters and a grandson that would love these
I would like to get the books for my granddaughter she’s 3 and we read to her and she loves it
I signed up for books in December and received a confirmation email but still haven’t received any books. Could you please check the account and see what the problem is?
Thank you,
Joseph Faison
This is so amazing! Would love to have my 2 youngest apart of this! Ones 4 and ones 8 months.
I would love to get the books to for my two year old she loves to be read to and she loves looking at pictures and making her own story to.
My three year old grandson lived to be read too. I’d love to be able to see his face light up with a new book every month.
Great idea
I would live to get books for my 17 month old grand daughter, she loves to be read to and loves to look at the pictures.
I would love these for my 15 mo th Great-Granddaughter, she loves books! Thank you Dolly Partin!!
Want to start for my Great Grandson who is 1
I have a toddler and first grader would like a book for either one ..
I run a place called the Clothes Line for foster in our area could I get a few copies of these books each month to give to Foster Families
My 3 year would absolutely love receiving mail with books ?
My grandson loves Dolly and he would love to get books from her cause he loves to read
I would like to have your books I have a grandbaby due anytime and 1 that is 3 there boys then a baby that just turned 2 she lives in a different house but uses my address could I get 2 please thank you
My grandson loves for me to read to him would love to get books for him
My daughter loves books and loves to look at all the pictures and loves when I read them to her I would love to receive books for her
My grandson loves books this is an awesome idea thank you
I’d like to know how we can get this program in Fannin County Texas. I was told a service organization has to sponsor the program. If so, how does one go about getting the information to a service organization and the cost to that organization?
Get these books for baby. I have
Ve a 3 year old grandson that looks books
.
Hi, Donna! There is a link in the post that leads to more info! Click on where it says, “The Imagination Library”. 🙂
I own a daycare in Paducah KY and our kids love reading. Our teachers read at least 10 minutes a day to the kids.
I’ve have children’s church on sundays and Wednesday night they would love to read they range from newborns and up.
This is so exciting!
I’m interested on getting books to read to my grandchildren
I’m very interested in getting books for my 2 grandkids. We love to read together
It’s fun to see my grandkids use their imagination while story book time
Reading books takes you on a journey
This is absolutely awesome, reading is very important! Thank You Dolly.
I have referred so many of our friends who have littles, to get on board, with Dolly’s Imagination Library. We live in El Paso, Texas, and a teacher friend that was trying to sign up, told me that it’s not available in El Paso. I am shocked! Dolly, please expand your program to west Texas! It is so very important to so many of the low income families, as well, as all of the little minds that are anxious to read and learn.
Thank you so very much,
Jeffrey Vaughn
I would like to get these for my grand children. they are 4 – 6- 8. The older ones love to read and the youngest like for me to read to him.
Thank you for considering them for this program.
would love this for my grandbabies
Wish this was available in Massachusetts but its not. Its great idea my 3yr old loves book.
Thanks to yiu
I would love for my granddaughter to receive the monthly book
I would like this for my grandson
What a wonderful idea from a wonderful lady…
I would love to get these for my granddaughters
My daughter and her family are a Foster family. My three grandchildren are all three in college now. They all were active and participated in taking care of each of the Foster children. They have had several children in and out for many years but especially three little boys, one after the other, who have spent a year or more with them. Each one is special in their own way and they can never have enough here to keep these kids busy. This is a wonderful program and I am sure it would be greatly appreciated. I am the Nana who is here often and hope I can surprise them with the books you are sharing. This is wonderful Thank you so much. Reading is always so important and if they can just hold a book and not a computer of some type would be great!
How can I sign my daughter up for this?
Hi, Kyna! There is a link to more info within the blog post! I hope that helps! 🙂
How can I change address for my daughters books ?
Hi Annette! There is a link to the organization right in the first paragraph of the blog post. It should lead to their site, where you should be able to get help with that! 🙂
This is amazing! My daughter is my last of 3 children and they all loved books as babies. I remember My oldest would go to goodwill for books. I’d shop the store as he sat in the book area and read away. Now my baby jus turned 2 and she asks me to read her books. She has a small collection in a designated corner in her bedroom where we sit and read. She follows through the stories and makes expressions. You’d think a 2 yr old doesn’t really knw what’s going on, but I truly believe she does. Reading is our passion. God bless u Dolly!
I’d love to get books to my 3 month great nephew and my 2 year old neighbor.
This is awesome! I love to read to my little boy while I can! Thank you! Please add him to your mailing list??
Hi, Delisha! Here is the link to more info about signing up! https://imaginationlibrary.com/