Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library opens a new chapter this summer as the program celebrates a significant milestone in early childhood literacy, while continuing its expansion efforts with the rollout of new statewide programs!
Dolly’s book-gifting program has gifted over 211 million books to children across the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia and the Republic of Ireland. As we enter into summer, the Imagination Library continues to inspire more children around the world to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More!
Thanks to over 2,800 local affiliates around the world who are dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books each month to children, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has reached a remarkable milestone, surpassing 200 million books gifted globally since the program’s inception in 1995!
To commemorate this global milestone, seven enchanting Dolly bookmarks will be
randomly hidden inside Imagination Library books gifted during International Literacy Month
(September) to children/families currently enrolled in the program around the world. (Children must be enrolled by July 31, 2023, to receive Imagination Library books in September).
Seven random children/families in five countries who find the Dolly bookmarks in their Imagination Library books will receive, if they choose, a video chat with Dolly, a personalized signed letter from Dolly, an autographed photo from Dolly and four Dollywood Theme Park tickets. The Dollywood Foundation will also donate $2,000 USD/CAD/AUD or £2,000 GBP, on behalf of the child, to their Local Imagination Library Partner as a thank you to those who Dolly calls the true heroes of her program.
To learn more, visit www.imaginationlibrary.com/200-million-books.
Dolly’s renowned early childhood literacy program has recently made significant strides in expanding its reach by launching statewide expansions in California and Montana. These expansions mark an exciting development in providing access to free books for children in these states, furthering the program's mission of inspiring a love of reading and learning in children from birth to age five.
In addition, California is the first state to provide a bilingual book language option where children and their families can elect to receive 100% bilingual English/Spanish books. When California’s statewide expansion is complete, it will be the largest Imagination Library statewide program in the nation.
Made possible by bipartisan legislation which was signed into law by Governor Newsom last year, it allows
all California children under the age of five the eligibility to enroll in the program and receive a free book every month, regardless of household income. The program is currently active in areas across 30 counties in California. With this expansion, the program is expected to fully cover the entire state, providing universal access to free books in the mail every month, including bilingual options, for approximately 2 million children over the next several years.
In Montana, free books are now available to children ages birth to five years old in every county, regardless of household income. Montana’s Imagination Library currently has 63 local program partners serving more than 13,000 of the state’s nearly 61,000 eligible children under age five. Montana is the sixteenth state to commit to achieving statewide coverage, with First Lady Gianforte announcing her Treasure State Foundation is supporting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in all 56 Montana counties.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading and learning by gifting books, free of charge, to families via funding shared by Dolly and local community partners. Summer is a wonderful time of year to spark the imagination, not only by spending more time playing, but also by spending more time reading! Here are a few of the specially selected, age-appropriate books going out to registered children this summer.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First SummerIn this vibrant book by Eric Carle, join the Very Hungry Caterpillar on a sunny summer day and enjoy everything the season has to offer!
Wonder WalkersImaginations will soar as readers take in the splendors of nature in this beautiful book by Micha Archer.
The Beastly BunchCelebrate the power of kindness and inclusivity with this vibrant, riotous picture book from Leisa Stewart-Sharpe and Pippa Curnick, reminding readers that true fabulousness shines from within!
Check availability in your area to register a child, sign up to receive a notification when the Imagination Library becomes available to you or learn more about how to Start A Program in your area.
As the weather warms up and the flowers start to bloom, there's no denying that spring is in the air. Dolly always seems to have a little extra sparkle this time of year, from new music to charitable endeavors, fun family attractions and more. There is so much to look forward to this spring – take a closer look at everything Dolly has in store for us this season!
“Country Music’s Party of the Year” will make history this May with its iconic host pairing of Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks. The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards airs on Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT, streaming live exclusively for a global audience across 240+ territories on Prime Video from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
Dollywood welcomes guests as they kick off their 2023 season, which is shaping up to be one of the busiest years in the park’s history. Two impressive projects—the Big Bear Mountain roller coaster and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort—are both scheduled for completion this year. Dolly announced Big Bear Mountain’s opening occurs in May, while bookings for HeartSong Lodge & Resort start in June with stays beginning in November.
Dolly’s Stampede in Pigeon Forge and Branson welcomes families to kick off the spring season with an evening of action-packed fun. Enjoy a bountiful four-course feast while delighting in a thrilling show filled with singing and dancing, impressive horse-riding stunts, family-friendly comedy and more.
At Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show in Pigeon Forge and Myrtle Beach, buccaneers of all ages are invited to set sail into a fun spring season. This exciting adventure features everything from pirates battling for hidden treasure to high-diving mermaids, plus a delicious Pirate Feast. Come join in the fun!
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library welcomes the arrival of spring by celebrating the growth of Dolly’s book-gifting program, putting free books into the hands of more children than ever before! The Imagination Library now gifts over 2 MILLION books each month, with 1 in 10 children under the age of five in the United States receiving an Imagination Library book in the mail each month! As of March, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library surpassed the 200 million book milestone, celebrating the arrival of spring with over 204 million total books gifted since the program’s inception.
Dolly announced her new book Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, an inside look at her iconic fashion and distinctive style, is due for release October 17, 2023. Dolly shares, for the first time, the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own distinctly Dolly style, which has defied convention and endeared her to fans around the world.
Vinyl Me, Please and Dolly Parton are excited to announce a first-of-its-kind monthly record club devoted to the legendary career and peerless catalog of Dolly Parton. Starting in April 2023, Vinyl Me, Parton will give Dolly fans a monthly connection with her catalog on vinyl, with twelve Records of the Month spanning the entirety of Dolly’s recording career.
As the season of spring arrives, witness the magnificence of new beginnings that envelop the earth. Bask in the radiance of sunshine piercing through the clouds and seek out the emergence of colorful rainbows. Allow this beautiful time of year to bring you happiness and harmonize your soul.
Your laughter brings me sunshine
Every day is springtime
And I am only happy when you are by my side
How precious is this love we share
How very precious, sweet and rare
Together, we belong like daffodils and butterflies
Love is like a butterfly
As soft and gentle as a sigh
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing
Love,
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library celebrates major achievements while providing blossoming young minds a colorful selection of spring books!
Dolly’s childhood literacy program now gifts over 2 MILLION books each month, with 1 in 10 children under the age of five in the United States receiving an Imagination Library book in the mail each month! As of March 2023, the Imagination Library has gifted over 204 million books to children across the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia and the Republic of Ireland. As we enter into spring, the Imagination Library continues to inspire more children around the world to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More!
Thanks to our incredible local program partners who are dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books to children, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has seen significant growth, expanding into more communities around the world every single month. In just the past year, Dolly’s book gifting program celebrated the achievement of full statewide coverage in Delaware, Arkansas, Ohio and West Virginia, and announced plans to expand statewide in California, Oklahoma and Washington in the United States and province-wide in Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada.
As of March, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library surpassed the 200 million book milestone, celebrating the arrival of spring with over 204 million total books gifted since the program’s inception.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading and learning by gifting books to families, free of charge, via funding shared by Dolly and local community partnerships. Spring is a wonderful time of year to let your child’s reading skills bloom by joining them and opening a good book together! Here are a few of the specially selected, age-appropriate books going out to registered children this spring.
In Our GardenWritten by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Melissa Crowton, this uplifting story incorporates themes of persistence, patience and community as students come together to create a vegetable garden.
Anne's ColorsIconic moments from the beloved Anne of Green Gables stories are recreated in this adorable concept book with colorful illustrations by Kelly Hill.
Where is the Very Hungry Caterpillar?Find out where everyone's favorite caterpillar is hiding in this lift-the-flap book that lets little readers join in the fun as they search for this beloved character by Eric Carle.
Check availability in your area to register a child, sign up to receive a notification when the Imagination Library becomes available to you or learn more about how to Start A Program in your area.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library welcomes the holiday season by celebrating major achievements in literacy, while cherishing the gift of quality time with family.
As of November 2022, Dolly’s childhood literacy program has gifted over 195 million books to children across the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia and the Republic of Ireland. As we enter into the holidays, the Imagination Library continues to embrace the spirit of the season by gifting more books to more children around the world and inspiring us all to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More!
During an awards ceremony in New York City on October 13, 2022, Dolly accepted the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in recognition of her many philanthropic efforts, including her investments in alleviating poverty, strengthening early college access, advancing medical research (including pediatric infectious diseases and the development of a COVID-19 vaccine), and perhaps most notably, for strengthening childhood education through the distribution of free books worldwide by her Imagination Library.
Dolly's dream has always been to inspire a love of reading among preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month. What started in 1995 in Dolly's hometown of Sevier County, TN, has now grown into an international program. While Dolly and the Dollywood Foundation cover many overhead costs and administration needs, the Imagination Library is made possible through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners. So, when the program becomes available to children in new areas, it's an accomplishment worth celebrating!
California Announces Statewide Expansion
California Senator Shannon Grove and Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins recently joined Dolly Parton to announce that Senate Bill 1183 — bipartisan legislation in partnership with The Dollywood Foundation to establish the Imagination Library of California Statewide Program — has been signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, paving the way for the program to launch statewide mid-2023. The Imagination Library of California statewide program will work with local partners in each county to mail free, age-appropriate books directly to California’s early readers every month, from birth until age five.
Currently, one percent of California children ages 0-5 are enrolled in existing local Imagination Library programs, which continue to see rising interest and success, especially in rural and hard-to-reach communities where libraries are more difficult to access. SB 1183 creates a statewide program that will reach all 58 counties, opening up eligibility to 2.4 million children in California. Visit imaginationlibrary.com to learn more and check availability as the program expands across the state!
The holidays are special for many reasons, but perhaps the most special of all is the quality time spent with family. It’s a wonderful time of year to cozy up with your child and read a good book together! Here are a few of the specially selected, age-appropriate books going out to registered children this season.
Gentle rhymes and beautiful illustrations take you through the changing seasons, as seen through the eyes of a black bear and her cubs.
This easy-to-read picture book introduces your child to the magic, fun and beauty of snow!
One winter's night, a snowman comes to life and an unforgettable adventure begins in Raymond Briggs’ timeless classic.
Join in the spirit of the season and share the gift of literacy with families in your community by donating to your local Imagination Library! A donation as small as $25 covers the cost of providing an Imagination Library book to a child each month for 1 year!
Check availability in your area to register a child, sign up to receive a notification when the Imagination Library becomes available to you or learn more about how to Start A Program in your area.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library ushers in autumn by celebrating major achievements in literacy, while encouraging good reading habits with a colorful selection of fall books!
As of September 2022, Dolly’s childhood literacy program has gifted over 190 million books to children across the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia and the Republic of Ireland. As we enter into fall, the Imagination Library continues to inspire more children around the world to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More!
On August 9, Dolly visited statewide celebrations of her Imagination Library in Ohio and West Virginia. Capping each appearance with a special musical performance, Dolly wanted to personally congratulate these states on their significant achievements of full statewide coverage, which gives every child under age five in each state the opportunity to enroll in her Imagination Library. The events were broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook, and you can view Dolly’s appearances at the celebrations by watching the replays, now available to stream online.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has been chosen as the recipient of this year's Carle Honors Angel by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. The 2022 Carle Honors will be awarded at a special benefit gala on Thursday, September 29 in New York City, recognizing individuals and organizations whose creative vision and long-term dedication have had a profound effect on picture books and the vital role they play in arts appreciation and early literacy.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading and learning by gifting books to families through funding shared by Dolly and local community partnerships. Fall is a wonderful time of year to cozy up with your child and read a good book together! Here are a few of the specially selected, age-appropriate books going out to registered children this fall.
Goldilocks and the Three BearsThe classic tale of Goldilocks comes to life in this enchanting edition, filled with lavish illustrations by Jan Brett.
Counting with Barefoot CrittersJoin a cast of adorable animal characters as they explore numbers and counting in this charming book by Teagan White.
Lion vs RabbitThis hilarious story by Alex Latimer shows that when it comes to outwitting a bully, someone small can truly be more powerful than someone big.
Check availability in your area to register a child, sign up to receive a notification when the Imagination Library becomes available to you or learn more about how to Start A Program in your area.
