How Dolly Parton's book programme brought reading to children worldwide
Following the death of singer Dolly Parton, families around the world are sharing stories about how her Imagination Library programme introduced their children to reading. Since 1995 the scheme has distributed more than 300 million free books to children globally.
Dolly Parton, who died this week aged 80, is being remembered not only as a music icon but also as a champion of children's literacy. In 1995 she launched the Imagination Library in her home county in Tennessee to honour her father, whose difficult upbringing in Appalachia prevented him from finishing school or learning to read and write.
The programme mails a free book every month to children from birth to age five. It expanded from Tennessee across the United States, then to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland. By 2025, marking its 30th anniversary, the programme had distributed more than 300 million books worldwide.
Families across several countries describe the lasting impact of the free books. London mother Harriet Anscombe said the regular deliveries helped her establish a bedtime reading routine for her daughter from a very young age. In Colorado, Ciara Fernandez Faber recalled how her son loved a book written by Parton herself and nicknamed her "the Book Queen".
In Dublin, Helen Cashell said the books tackled themes such as different family structures, courage and identity that helped her children navigate real-life issues. In Sydney, first-time mother Paige Stewart said the programme aided her twin daughters, who had speech delays - one of them said her first word, "orange", after receiving a book about colours.
The scheme also gives children's authors wider reach; UK writer Selina Brown said 14,000 copies of her book were distributed through the programme. Parton wrote that her father told her before he died that the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing she had ever done.
