Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library soars into summer by celebrating significant milestones in early childhood literacy, while inspiring children to love to read with an imaginative selection of summer books!
Dolly’s childhood literacy program has gifted over 184 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 to children, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has reached an amazing milestone which, at one time, seemed like only a dream.
As of June 2022, there are over 2 million children enrolled in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. That means the Imagination Library is now gifting over 2 MILLION BOOKS to children around the world each and every month — that’s 1 book every 1.4 seconds!
This is truly incredible, as after launching in 1995, it took 21 years to reach the milestone of 1 million children enrolled in the program. Now, in only five years and six months, enrollment has doubled, with over 2 million children enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library around the world.
On May 5, Dolly traveled across the country to visit the statewide celebrations of her Imagination Library in Delaware and Arkansas. Capping each appearance with a special musical performance, Dolly arrived in-person to congratulate these states on the significant achievement of full statewide coverage and on the eligibility of every child under five to enroll in her Imagination Library. The events were broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook, and you can catch Dolly’s appearances at the celebrations by watching the replays, now available to stream online.
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.
Blue Sky White StarsFrom the view of the Statue of Library at Ellis Island to civil rights marchers shoulder to shoulder, beautifully rich paintings illustrate American history in "Blue Sky White Stars," written by Sarvinder Naberhaus with illustrations by Kadir Nelson.
Natsumi's Song of SummerThis sweet and gentle picture book, written by Robert Paul Weston and illustrated by Misa Saburi, celebrates summer in Japan, as one little girl shares her love for bugs with her cousin who is visiting from America.
Pass It OnWhen you laugh or smile – pass it on! Here's a heartwarming story about giving, sharing and joy, written and illustrated by Sophy Henn.
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.
On Thursday, May 5, Dolly Parton will be traveling the country to visit statewide celebrations of her Imagination Library in Delaware and Arkansas. Join Dolly for two livestream broadcasts as Delaware and Arkansas celebrate the success of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library!
As the world’s preeminent early childhood book-gifting program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mails high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five in partnership with local community affiliates. After tremendous support and growth in their Imagination Library programs, both Delaware and Arkansas have now achieved statewide coverage, making every child under age five eligible for enrollment.
Children whose parents enroll them in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library receive one new book in the mail each month, at no cost, from birth through age five. Over the course of enrollment, a personal library of as many as 60 books is created, helping form the foundation of a child’s early reading experience.
Tune in at 12:30 p.m. EST to watch as Dolly joins Governor John Carney and First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney for a special conversation and brief musical performance celebrating the success of the Imagination Library in Delaware. The special livestream broadcast will be available to watch simultaneously on dollyparton.com and YouTube. (*Note: this event has been rescheduled to 12:30PM from its previously scheduled time.)
Governor Carney first announced a pilot launch of the Imagination Library program in five Delaware school districts in his 2020 State of the State address, with the Division of Libraries partnering with 13 local public libraries to make the program available to families within the pilot districts. Now, thanks to the tireless efforts of the program’s statewide partners and supporters, the Imagination Library has reached full statewide coverage in Delaware.
At 6:35 p.m. CST, Governor Asa Hutchinson, statewide leaders and local supporters welcome Dolly to the celebration in Arkansas for a brief musical performance and a live chat with local media personality, Craig O’Neill. Tune in to watch the special broadcast, streaming live simultaneously on dollyparton.com, Youtube and the Imagination Library Facebook page.
Since 2005, Imagination Library affiliates in Arkansas have gifted more than three million books, with more than 57,000 Arkansas children currently enrolled in the program. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the program’s statewide partners and supporters, the Imagination Library has now reached full statewide coverage, making all children under age five eligible for enrollment!
Tune in and join Dolly for two livestream broadcasts on May 5, 2022, as we celebrate the statewide success of the Imagination Library in Delaware and Arkansas! For more information on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, to check availability and register a child, visit imaginationlibrary.com.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library joins non-profit organization, Every Child a Reader, in celebrating the first annual Floyd Cooper Day, held May 6, 2022. Happening during the annual Children’s Book Week celebration (May 2-8, 2022), Floyd Cooper Day honors the legacy of the late Floyd Cooper and celebrates his inspiring and powerful work as an award-winning illustrator and author.
On May 6, to mark the first annual Floyd Cooper Day, the Imagination Library will premiere a special encore presentation of the award-winning “Goodnight with Dolly” online series, which will feature Dolly reading Cooper’s “Max and the Tag-Along Moon,” along with a special in-memoriam to Cooper.
Floyd Cooper was a children’s book illustrator known for realistically and positively exploring the African American experience. With over 30 years of work and 100 titles, he strived to shed light on chapters of African American history that weren’t taught enough in classrooms. “Max and the Tag-Along Moon,” which Cooper wrote and illustrated, has become a beloved book in the Imagination Library cannon and his works have left a lasting impact among families all over the world. Sadly, Cooper passed on July 15, 2021, yet the ideals and values imparted through his works will live on forever.
Tune in to a special encore presentation of “Goodnight with Dolly,” in celebration of Children’s Book Week and the first annual Floyd Cooper Day, on May 6. Watch as Dolly reads Cooper’s “Max and the Tag-Along Moon,” followed by an in-memoriam to honor the life and legacy of Floyd Cooper.
Join the celebration of the first annual Floyd Cooper Day on May 6, 2022, by using #FloydCooperDay across social media, and tune in to the special presentation of “Max and the Tag-Along Moon.”
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After the cold winter months, there’s so much for everyone to look forward to with the arrival of spring. The birds start chirping, the flowers start blooming and sunshine warms our days and our hearts. Dolly sends some of that sunshine our way by sharing what she loves about springtime.
“I just want to take a minute to wish everybody a happy springtime! What I love about spring is that the days start getting longer, the sun seems to shine a little brighter, and we really get to see all of God’s beauty blossom right in front of our eyes. There may be a few April showers here and there, but you know what I always say, ‘If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!’”
Dollywood welcomes guests to celebrate the beauty of springtime during their annual Flower & Food Festival presented by Covenant Health, happening April 22 – June 5. This popular event delights guests with hundreds of thousands of brilliant flowers, truly bringing spring in the Smokies alive throughout the park. And, in 2022, this event blooms with even more fun and discovery around every corner, thanks to several new larger-than-life Mosaicultures floral sculptures.
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’s Imagination Library welcomes the arrival of spring by celebrating the growth of the childhood literacy program, putting free books into the hands of more children than ever before! In Canada, the Imagination Library recently kicked off the province-wide expansion of Dolly’s book gifting program across Newfoundland and Labrador. In the United States, the Imagination Library celebrated National Read Across America Day (March 2) by announcing that the program would be expanding statewide in Washington!
Dolly took the stage on March 7 to host the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards, which streamed live without commercial interruption from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Dolly’s hosting appearance marked the first time the awards show was broadcast in the streaming format, airing exclusively on Prime Video.
Dolly’s eagerly-anticipated first novel, co-authored with New York Times Best Seller James Patterson, is now available. Glittering with danger and desire, “Run, Rose, Run” is a thriller about a young singer-songwriter on the rise and on the run, determined to do whatever it takes to survive. This riveting novel is now available for purchase in hardcover, ebook and audiobook.
Dolly’s latest album, “Run, Rose, Run,” serves as a companion to the original novel, enhancing the reader’s experience with 12 original songs by Dolly that tie into the book’s story line. The album is available now on all digital streaming platforms and as a digital download, as well as on CD, standard vinyl and some special vinyl color variants.
Dolly is set to star in Hello Sunshine’s feature film adaptation of “Run, Rose, Run,” her recently-released novel, co-authored by James Patterson. Dolly and James will produce the feature alongside Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine’s President of Film and Television, Lauren Neustadter.
Exclusive “Run, Rose, Run” merchandise, created for Dolly’s latest album and book release, is available now! Each item complements the story and music as told by Dolly Parton.
Spring is a time when all the world bursts forth with the beauty of new life. As sunlight breaks through the rain clouds, take time to look for the rainbows that start to appear. Let this beautiful time of year bring you joy and fill your heart with a song.
Together you and I can stop the rain and make the sun shine
Paint a pretty rainbow brushed with love across the sky
Together you and I belong like a songbird and a song
And we’ll always be together you and I
Love,
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library welcomes the arrival of spring by celebrating major achievements in literacy while encouraging good reading habits with a colorful selection of spring books!
As of March 2022, Dolly’s childhood literacy program has gifted over 178 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 affiliates and local partners who are dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books to children, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has seen significant growth over the past few months, and the program continues to expand into even more communities around the world.
In Canada, the Imagination Library recently kicked off the province-wide expansion of Dolly’s book gifting program across Newfoundland and Labrador, thanks to an anonymous donor who will cover most of the cost for community partners. And, in the United States, the Imagination Library celebrated National Read Across America Day (March 2) by announcing that the program would be expanding statewide in Washington! Soon, all children under the age of five in the state of Washington will be eligible to receive a free book each month.
On March 17, the Imagination Library was announced as the 2022 Carle Honors Angel honoree by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. The Carle Honors celebrate 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. The Angel award, in particular, recognizes those whose generous resources are crucial to making illustrated children’s book art exhibitions, education programs, and related projects a reality. Now in its 16th year, the Carle Honors will be awarded at the Benefit Gala and Art Auction at Guastavino’s in New York City on Thursday, September 29, 2022.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading and learning by gifting books, free of charge to families, through funding shared by Dolly and local community partnerships. Spring is a wonderful time of the year to let your child’s reading skills blossom by opening a good book together! Here are a few of the specially-selected, age-appropriate books going out to registered children this spring.
When the Storm ComesA storm and its sunny aftermath come to life in "When the Storm Comes,” with gorgeous art by Taeeun Yoo and lyrical text by Linda Ashman.
The Not-So-Great OutdoorsDiscover the pleasures of unplugging and embracing nature in this playful picture book, "The Not-So-Great Outdoors," by Madeline Kloepper.
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.
