Dolly Parton is sending free books to children across 21 states — and around the world
Dolly Parton’s father grew up poor and never got the chance to learn to read. Inspired by her upbringing, the 78-year-old country music legend has made it her mission over the past three…
Dolly Parton, the 78-year-old country music sensation, is on a mission to boost literacy rates by gifting free books to children across 21 states and beyond. Inspired by her own father's struggles with illiteracy, Parton's Imagination Library has been expanding since its inception in 1995. Initially starting in a single county in Tennessee, the program has since mailed over 240 million books to children in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.
Today, all children under the age of 5 in states like Missouri and Kentucky can enroll to receive a new book in the mail every month. Parton visited both states to promote the program and share her father's story, reminding listeners that in the mountains, many people lacked access to education due to the demands of farm work.
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