Reading Tips from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Meet The Imagination Library – You’ve probably heard of Dolly Parton and her Imagination Library. Did you know she gives books away to kids from zero to age five? Each child gets twelve specially selected books a year, without ever paying a dime, thanks to Dolly and her local partners.
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Dolly’s photo was taken in 1983. Did you know the imagination library started in 1995? Her inspiration came from her father. He couldn’t read or write so Dolly started with preschoolers from her home in Sevier County, Tennessee. Did you know Dolly sends books to kids in five countries today, including the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Republic of Ireland?

Did you know Dolly gives over two million books away each month? When she was growing up, she believed in dreams. Kids are still dreaming, and books have the seeds to help them grow.

Did you know according to their website Dolly registered 3,197,250 kids and counting? Or that she has given away 260,942,488 books so far? Impressive, and Dolly’s not done. Not yet!
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                   To learn more, check out: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library | USA, UK, IE, CA, AU
  
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Parenting Tips from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

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How This Post Came to Be – A year ago I saw a post online from the Imagination Library with reading tips for families. I saved it because those tips, they were great.

They’re not just about literacy. They’re also about building oral language and vocabulary skills for preschoolers. If you’re curious about the kind of books Dolly and the Imagination Library picked, click on this link: United States Book List - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. And now the link has been updated . . .  for babies arriving in 2025!   

​                                                                                           And now, those tips . . .

​Pointing, naming, talking, playing games – they’re so natural. I’m glad Dolly highlighted them.
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They’re what my kids did, what my grandkids do now.
They’re also great tips to use beyond the book, in everyday life around the house. 

And now, two book picks . . .​
Note – These titles stayed the same in 2025.

​Babies in the Imagination Library get 12 books by the end of the year.
Here are two. BTW, I only had the title, so I hope I found the right cover.

The first book, always, The Little Engine that Could. It’s a custom version just for Dolly.

Llama Llama is another early title. If you look at the others, you’ll find animals,
their sounds, and nursery rhymes. They’ll help your baby point, name,
talk, and play games. On the page or around the house.

Smile and answer questions. Point and name. Turn pages. These tips are simple and easy
for parents who know toddlers never sit still!

They are simple things, but they’ll build a foundation for a lifetime of literacy. Don’t worry
if your child isn’t turning pages in order. Or if they’re not asking questions
or naming things. The best things in life take time!

And now, two book picks . . .
Note – Both titles are gone in 2025.

I picked Good Morning because it had a + sign beside it. That means it has bilingual text
or Hispanic content. So does another book from Richard Scarry. I hope I found the
right covers for you; I only had the titles to go on.

I picked Madeline’s 1 2 3 because it had a dot, like an asterisk. That means it’s a new book.
Madeline has been around forever, but 1 2 3 is a new title. There are two other new ones on the list. Writers like me hope that someday . . . Dolly will pick one of our stories too.

The titles include shapes, homes, family, animals, body parts, and nursery rhymes.
You and your child will have lots of pages to turn, things to name, and questions to answer.
​Enjoy! Time flies!

Ask questions. Talk about words and pictures. Pick books. Set goals and rewards.

Your preschooler is growing into a reader! Just look at the skills they’re learning
​and the kinds of books they get from the Imagination Library.

And now, those book picks . . . 
Note – These titles stayed the same in 2025.

K is for Kindness, is about being nice. That’s a social skill. It’s also
 an ABC book; a literary skill, and littles need both.

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night is more than a truck book. It’s also a bedtime story
with rhyming text and great illustrations. Plus, it’s a series of stories . . . with steam trains,
jet planes, and speed boats who need sleep too.

Animal stories are still in the library, along with a variety of others. Here’s the link if
​you’d like to check them out . . . United States Book List - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
​And now the link has been updated . . .  for babies arriving in 2025!

Tomorrow – Reading tips for toddlers ages 3-4 and 4-5

Point to letters and numbers. Find a story in the illustrations.
Talk about plot and characters. THESE are the skills that prepare kids to read!
 
And now, two more book picks . . .
Note – Both titles are gone in 2025.

Corduroy is a book my kids loved, at home and at school.
It’s the story of a teddy bear who only wants a home.

I got The Snowy Day in second grade. I was excited to see both books
on Dolly’s 2024 list. And so disappointed to see them leave.

But don’t worry! There are still twelve great titles to help your
child learn about the world around them.

Tell the story. Write and draw responses. Talk about words and story meaning.
It’s almost time for Kindergarten!

And now, two more book picks . . .

Note – These titles stayed the same in 2025.

Danbi’s Favorite Day comes from her home in Korea – Children’s Day. Kids
the world over will love how she finds a way to celebrate.

Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! This is the custom book every child
gets when they turn five. Its job – to make them feel confident and excited about starting school.

And the other ten, they include titles about books, folk tales, and school.
One even started as a song, Dolly’s Coat of Many Colors.

No more tips. This used to be the last set of books for kids born in 2019. Now it’s for kids born in 2020.
And the last two books . . .
Note – These titles stayed the same in 2025.​

​Can you ever have too much snow? The animals in Rabbit’s Snow Dance
think so. . . especially in the summertime!

Are you ever as busy as a bee? Find out what they really do in You Are a Honey Bee.
It’s the first in a STEM nonfiction picture book series for young readers.

And the other titles, they’re as diverse as these two!