Kids’ Corner: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

I’ve been wanting to do a feature that had to do with children & children’s books ever since starting my blog.  My blog is called Cover2CoverMOM after all, so obviously I am a parent myself.  Children’s literacy is something near and dear to my heart, therefore I will be starting a new feature on my blog called “Kids’ Corner.”   This feature will be about things related to children’s books and reading.

For my very first Kids’ Corner, I thought I would feature a wonderful program that I think all parents of pre-school aged children should take advantage of: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library…

Are you a parent with children under the age of 5?  Did you know there is a program called Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library that will send your child a FREE book in the mail every month until they turn 5?

Dolly Parton’s Imagination library was founded in 1995 by Dolly Parton to help pre-school aged children in her hometown build their own libraries, and instill a deep love for reading in them at a young age.  Since it’s launch over 20 years ago, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has mailed over 80,000,000 free books to pre-school aged children.

Currently, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is offered to select locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.  To check if Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is offered in your area, you can check availability via the website:

United States • Australia • Canada • United Kingdom

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I first learned about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through my local library.  I had brought my daughter, who was 6 months old at the time, to baby story time.  The librarian started telling our group about this program, and I thought it sounded like a wonderful program.  I immediately registered my daughter after story time and started receiving her free monthly books a few weeks later.

 My daughter is now almost 3 years old, and LOVES receiving a new book in the mail every month!  I have been very pleased with the quality and diversity of the books that are sent to her.

I really adore this program and hope that I have brought it to the attention of some parents who have access to it, but had not heard about it before.  I strongly encourage all parents with children under the age of 5 to look into Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and take advantage of it.  Even if you are not a parent yourself, make sure to share this info with friends & family who do have pre-school aged children.  Let’s spread the word about this wonderful program that is such a amazing campaign for children’s literacy.

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Here are a few of our favorite books that my daughter has received:

» Extraordinary Jane by Hannah Harrison

For anyone with a beloved pet, this delightful and heartwarming story set at the circus shows that quiet qualities like friendship, kindness, and loyalty are important and worthy.

Jane is an ordinary dog in an extraordinary circus. She isn’t strong, graceful, or brave like her family. When she tries to be those things, Jane just doesn’t feel like herself, but she also doesn’t feel special. Is she really meant for this kind of life? Her Ringmaster thinks so, but not for the reasons Jane believes.

Ordinary can be extraordinary!

» Your Kind of Mommy by Marjorie Blain Parker

What kind of mommy is just right? An octopus mommy with eight arms to hold you? A shaggy dog mommy with a big tail to wag for you? A buzzy bee mommy with a sweet honey treat for you? The right kind of mommy is all of these, and the right kind of mommy is the one you have.

Marjorie Parker’s joyful, reassuring text pairs beautifully with Cyd Moore’s exuberant art showing all kinds of loving animal moms and their babies to create a picture-book celebration of love.

» Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan

It’s evening in the forest and Little Owl wakes up from his day-long sleep to watch his friends enjoying the night. Hedgehog sniffs for mushrooms, Skunk nibbles at berries, Frog croaks, and Cricket sings. A full moon rises and Little Owl can’t understand why anyone would want to miss it. Could the daytime be nearly as wonderful? Mama Owl begins to describe it to him, but as the sun comes up, Little Owl falls fast asleep.

Putting a twist on the bedtime book, Little Owl’s Night is sure to comfort any child with a curiosity about the night.

» Abuela by Arthur Dorros

A young girl and her grandmother celebrate their home and relationship in this magical story. Winner of the Parents’ Choice Award!

Come join Rosalba and her grandmother, her abuela, on a magical journey as they fly over thestreets, sights, and people of the sparkling city below. The story is narrated in English, and sprinkled with Spanish phrases as Abuela points out places that they explore together. The exhilaration in Rosalba’s and Abuela’s story is magnified by the loving bond that only a grandmother and granddaughter can share.

» Just One More by Jennifer Hansen Rolli

Sometimes Ruby needs

just one more minute of sleep,

one more thingy for her hair,

one more push on the swing,

and one more scoop on her cone,

(and one more,  and one more, and one more . . .)

until one more is just

too much.

Maybe it’s time for

just one?

If you know a someone like Ruby,

Just One More will be

just right!

» Meet Me at the Moon by Gianna Marino

A heartwarming love story between mother and child

When Mama Elephant must leave Little One to ask the skies for rain, the young elephant is worried. Who will care for Little One? Who will sing Mama’s special songs? When will she return?

Mama is very reassuring – Little One will hear her song on the wind and feel her love in the warmth of the sun, and, after the rains come, they will meet where the moon sets.

Exquisitely illustrated and supremely comforting, Meet Me at the Moon is a mother and child love story to be enjoyed again and again.

» Max and the Tag Along Moon by Floyd Cooper

Has the moon ever followed you home at night?

Max loves his grandpa. When they must say good-bye after a visit, Grandpa reminds Max that the moon above them at Grandpa’s house is the same moon that will follow him all the way home. And on that swervy-curvy car ride back home Max smiles as the moon tags along, thinking of Grandpa. But when the sky darkens and the moon disappears behind clouds, Max worries that it did not follow him home after all. Yet when the clouds part and light streams through his window, he realizes that Grandpa was right—the moon was with him all along.  Floyd Cooper received the Coretta Scott King Award for The Blacker the Berry, two Coretta Scott King Honors for Honey in Broomwheat Tea and I Have Heard of a Land, and an NAACP image award. His books have also been named to numerous best books list and been given many Parents Choice Awards.  In Max and the Tag-Along Moon, his lush paintings perfectly capture the wonder of the moon, the love between grandfather and grandson, and that feeling of magic every child experiences when the moon follows him home.

» Maple by Lori Nichols

Lori Nichols’ enchanting debut features an irresistible, free-spirited, nature-loving little girl who greets the changing seasons and a new sibling with arms wide open.

When Maple is tiny, her parents plant a maple tree in her honor. She and her tree grow up together, and even though a tree doesn’t always make an ideal playmate, it doesn’t mind when Maple is in the mood to be loud—which is often. Then Maple becomes a big sister, and finds that babies have their loud days, too. Fortunately, Maple and her beloved tree know just what the baby needs.

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About the Founder:

Dolly Rebecca Parton is a Grammy Award-winning country music singer/songwriter, author, actress and philanthropist. To date, she remains one of the most successful country artists, with 25 number-one singles (a record for a female performer) and 42 top-10 country albums (more than anyone else).

In 1995, Dolly Parton launched an exciting new effort, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, to benefit the children of her home county in East Tennessee, USA. Dolly’s vision was to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month. By mailing high quality, age-appropriate books directly to their homes, she wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could insure that every child would have books, regardless of their family’s income.

Website • Twitter • Facebook

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Do you have a pre-school aged child that takes part in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library?

What do you think about the program?

Have you been satisfied with the books that your child has been sent?