In a bright three‑year‑old classroom at Learning Grove daycare, shelves are stocked with colorful picture books that arrive each month at no cost to families. The source of those books is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a nationwide program that delivers a free book to every child from birth until age five.
Local impact of a national program
Shannon Starkey‑Taylor, CEO of Learning Grove, explains that the program gives children “the key to unlocking their imaginations” and helps them develop a lifelong love of reading. “Children should have a love of reading and should do it early on,” she said. “That’s what Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library wanted to do. She knew a lot of things needed to come together for children to be really successful in life.”
The Imagination Library was founded by the late Dolly Parton to ensure that every child, regardless of family income, receives a new book each month. Starkey‑Taylor notes that the program is more than a book giveaway; it is an effort to fill a child’s mind with possibilities, ideas, and dreams.
Families benefit from free books
Because the service is free, families can sign up their children or grandchildren through pamphlets at local libraries or online. The excitement is palpable when a child runs to the mailbox to retrieve the newest title. “She wanted to promote joy,” Starkey‑Taylor recalled from an interview with Parton. “I remember she said, it’s not just that I want early reading to happen and kids to have books if they can’t afford it. She goes, I want them to run to their mailbox and get excited.”
Early‑learning advocates in the region praise the program for supporting young children in all aspects of development—cognitive, emotional, and social. “On behalf of all of us in early learning that really fight for young children, in all aspects of their development, she was a champion and she will be remembered,” Starkey‑Taylor said, adding that the community will continue to carry on Parton’s legacy with the help of many partners.
How to join the program
Parents and guardians interested in enrolling a child can locate Imagination Library sign‑up materials at their local public library or visit the program’s website. Once registered, a new book is mailed each month directly to the child’s home, encouraging regular reading time and family bonding.
The Imagination Library continues to expand its reach, delivering millions of books each year across the United States. For families in the Learning Grove area, the program offers a tangible way to nurture early literacy, strengthen family ties, and honor the memory of Dolly Parton, whose vision for children’s education lives on through the pages delivered to mailboxes nationwide.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
