{
  "id": 3875652,
  "title": "In Dolly Parton’s hometown, families remember the star who helped their children learn to read",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/in-dolly-partons-hometown-families-remember-the-star-who-helped-their",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T03:01:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/showbiz/2026/08/28/in-dolly-partons-hometown-families-remember-the-star-who-helped-their-children-learn-to-read/232977"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Dolly Parton's hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee, families are remembering the iconic singer-songwriter not just for her country music career, but for her Imagination Library book donation program. This program has had a significant impact on many children's lives, helping them learn to read. Zenaida, a nine-year-old girl, expressed that the books were the first things she learned to read, flipping through her copy of Parton's \"Coat of Many Colors\" at a makeshift memorial in her hometown.\n\nParton's Imagination Library was born out of personal grief, as her father grew up illiterate in rural Tennessee. The program provides free, mailed books to children from birth until age five, aiming to boost literacy. Since its inception in 1995, the program has distributed 3.4 million books monthly, thanks to the dedication of Parton's foundation and numerous local groups and publishers.\n\nKendal Manning, the mother of two young boys, spoke of how the program has been a lifeline for her family since their children were born. \"We've been receiving their books since they were born. We have them all,\" she said, emphasizing the immeasurable impact of Parton's generosity. Parton's non-profit foundation, committed to maintaining the program, ensures that countless families in east Tennessee and beyond continue to benefit from this literary gift.\n\nThe Imagination Library has expanded globally, reaching countries such as Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland, and even remote areas like Bethel, Alaska. The program's success has gifted over 300 million books, touching the lives of millions of children worldwide. As locals pay tribute to Parton, her legacy as the \"Book Lady\" continues to illuminate the importance of literacy and community care.",
  "summary": "SEVIERVILLE, Aug 28 — To nine-year-old Zenaida, it wasn’t Dolly Parton’s storied country music career...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}