Group 1 Children Born in 2022
“Baby Sounds”
By Joy Allen
Group 1 – Registered Children Born in 2022
Australia – “My Dog Bigsy”– 1/10/22
Canada – “Anne’s Numbers” – 10/1/22
Ireland – “Baby Touch: Feelings” – 30/9/22
United Kingdom – “Baby Touch: Feelings” – 30/9/22
USA – “Baby Sounds” – 10/28/22
Group 2 Children Born in 2021
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
By Eric Carle
Group 2 – Registered Children Born in 2021
Australia – “A Lion in the Night” – 1/10/22
Canada – “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” – 10/1/22
Ireland – “Boo Boo Baby and Giraffe” – 30/9/22
United Kingdom – “Boo Boo Baby and Giraffe” – 30/9/22
USA – “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” – 10/27/22
Group 3 Children Born in 2020
“Llama Llama Meets the Babysitter”
By Anna Dewdney
Group 3 – Registered Children Born in 2020
Australia – “A Bag and a Bird” – 1/10/22
Canada – “Sam Sorts” – 10/1/22
Ireland – “Goodnight Tractor” – 30/9/22
United Kingdom – “Goodnight Tractor” – 30/9/22
USA – “Llama Llama Meets the Babysitter” – 10/24/22
Group 4 Children Born in 2019
“Goodnight, Numbers”
By Danica McKellar & Illustrated by Alicia Padrón
Group 4 – Registered Children Born in 2019
Australia – “Let’s Build a House ” – 1/10/22
Canada – “Goodnight, Numbers” – 10/1/22
Ireland – “Lion and Mouse” – 30/9/22
United Kingdom – “Lion and Mouse” – 30/9/22
USA – “Goodnight, Numbers” – 10/18/22
Group 5 Children Born in 2018
“Brick by Brick”
By Heidi Woodward Sheffield
Group 5 – Registered Children Born in 2018
Australia – “Familes, Families, Families!” or “Charlotte and the Rock”– 1/10/22
Canada – “Great Too” – 10/1/22
Ireland – “My Daddies!” – 30/9/22
United Kingdom – “My Daddies!” – 30/9/22
USA – “Brick by Brick” – 10/11/22
Group 6 Children Born in 2017
“Carpenter’s Helper”
By Sybil Rosen and Camille Garoche
Group 6 – Registered Children Born in 2017
Australia – “The Scared Book” or “Hello From Nowhere”– 1/10/22
Canada – “Bobby Orr and the Hand-Me-Down Skates” – 10/1/22
Ireland – “Something Else” – 30/9/22
United Kingdom – “Something Else” – 30/9/22
USA – “Carpenter’s Helper” – 10/5/22
Welcome Book First Book Children Receive
“The Little Engine That Could”
By Watty Piper & Illustrated by Dan Santat
Welcome Book – First book sent to registered children
Australia – “Roo Knows Blue”– 1/10/22
Canada – “The Little Engine That Could” – 10/1/22
Ireland – “The Little Engine That Could” – 30/9/22
United Kingdom – “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” – 30/9/22
USA – “The Little Engine That Could” – 10/3/22
Graduation Book Last Book Children Receive
“Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!”
By Nancy Carlson
Graduation Book – Last book children receive when they graduate from the program
Australia – “Starting School” or “Stuff to Know When You Start School”– 1/10/22
Canada – “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” – 10/1/22
Ireland – “The Selfish Giant” – 30/9/22
United Kingdom – “Just Imagine” – 30/9/22
USA – “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” – 10/4/22
New to the Imagination Library?
You can check availability in your area to register a child, sign up to receive a notification when the Imagination Library becomes available to you or learn more about how to Start A Program in your area.
Launched in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the leading international early childhood book-gifting programme and has created a library at home for millions of children.
In celebrating the value of libraries, we celebrate not only public buildings that house thousands of books everywhere around the world, but also the positive impact of a child’s home library that helps celebrate the magic of reading. Motivated by her father’s inability to read or write, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading and learning by gifting books, free of charge to families, through funding shared by Dolly’s charity, The Dollywood Foundation, and local community partnerships. Through an exclusive partnership with Penguin Random House, the quality of the books is assured, and costs are kept to a minimum, making the programme accessible to more children.
In 2018, the Imagination Library achieved a staggering milestone of 100 million books gifted since inception, and two short years later it surpassed 150 million books. As of October 2022, the Imagination Library gifts over 2 million specially selected, high quality, age-appropriate books each month to registered children from birth to age five in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland.
Some may ask if gifting books to children has a negative impact on the use of public libraries? We know the answer to that is an overwhelming “no”! On the contrary, the Imagination Library is supported by staff in early years’ settings and local libraries. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to bring their children to the local libraries to take part in story time sessions and activities that are focused on the Imagination Library books. They are also encouraged to choose from the huge range of age-appropriate books in the library that are not part of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Evidence shows that public library membership and use has increased in areas where the Imagination Library is established. In a recent survey of families receiving Imagination Library books, 46% use the public library more than they did before, and we frequently receive feedback from families who have discovered public libraries through the Imagination Library.
Research Shows the Benefits of Imagination Library
We know that reading is the key for lifelong learning and the single most important activity for building knowledge required for eventual success in school,work, and life in general. Brain science provides evidence that reading to children from birth positively influences the developing brain when it is most sensitive to nurturing experiences – another reason creating that early library at home is so beneficial to a child’s development.
We also know that parents and caregivers are the first and most influential teachers for their child and that reading at home requires books. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, delivered in partnership with Penguin Random House, is focused solely on inspiring a love of reading and learning in children by delivering books to the child’s home. The impact of the programme has been widely researched and results suggest that having established home reading routines brings increased stability, emotional well-being, and improved family atmosphere. Reading as a family strengthens relationships and enhances the home learning environment.
Over the last 25 years, The Dollywood Foundation and its UK Community Partners have undertaken a wide range of evaluations, studies, and data collection on the impact of the Imagination Library. Parents consistently tell us they read with their child more often after registering with the Imagination Library (88% of parents surveyed), and the Imagination Library recipients are around 30% more likely to read daily than parents and children outside of the programme. Parents often tell us that their children are excited about receiving their books and reading as a family!
“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay home. Having the Imagination Library has given us the opportunity to explore new books that we wouldn’t initially gravitate towards. A little bit of personalised magic post that has become a highlight for my children” — Renfrewshire parent
Our studies also show that increased reading within the home better prepares children enrolled in the programme for school. Children receiving Imagination Library books are more likely to reach the required standards at the end of Early Years Foundation Stage, and one English local authority reports that there has been a 22% increase in children achieving a Good Level of Development since 2013. We know that the Imagination Library and its fostering of love for learning has a beneficial impact both within and outside of the home.
For over 25 years, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, together with Penguin Random House, have demonstrated the power and impact of the simple gift of a monthly book in the mail, helping children and families build home libraries and inspiring a love of reading.
New to the Imagination Library?
You can check availability in your area to register a child, sign up to receive a notification when the Imagination Library becomes available to you or learn more about how to Start A Program in your area.
Governor Newsom Signs Legislation to Bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program to All of California, Launching Mid-2023
American icon Dolly Parton joins California Senator Shannon Grove and Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins to announce that Senate Bill 1183 — bipartisan legislation in partnership with The Dollywood Foundation to establish the Imagination Library of California Statewide Program — has been signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, paving the way for the program to launch statewide mid-2023. The Imagination Library of California statewide program will work with local partners in each county to mail free, age- appropriate books directly to California’s early readers every month, from birth until age five.
“I’m so thrilled at the overwhelming support to make my Imagination Library available to every child in California!” Dolly shared. “I want to thank Senator Shannon Grove and Senator Toni Atkins for inspiring tremendous support from California legislators and Governor Gavin Newsom for enthusiastically signing this bill. Today is an amazing milestone for children and families across the state! We still have a lot of work to do, but together we can inspire a love of reading in children across California that will last a lifetime.”
SB 1183, which establishes the statewide program under the direction of the State Librarian, is the first time Senators Atkins and Grove have coauthored legislation. The program establishes a comprehensive literacy initiative for encouraging preschool children to develop a love of reading and learning. The bill received bipartisan support in both houses.
Dolly Parton started the Imagination Library in 1995, gifting books to young children in the Tennessee County where she grew up each month to inspire an early love of reading. Since statewide adoption by Tennessee in 2004, the nonprofit program has gifted over 186 million books across five countries and one out of every 10 children under the age of five in the United States receives a book in the mail each month. California is the 15th state to commit to creating a statewide Imagination Library program.
“Today marks a significant day, the beginning of a magnificent statewide program which will put books in the hands of all California children at a young age, opening the door to limitless possibility for their future,” said Senator Grove. “It is truly an honor to join with Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins to bring forward this legislation which encourages families to read together, increases learning outcomes in school and creates memories with our children that will last a lifetime.”
Goals for Expansion
Currently, one percent of California children age 0-5 are enrolled in existing local Imagination Library programs, which continue to see rising interest and success, especially in rural and hard- to-reach communities where libraries are more difficult to access. SB 1183 creates a statewide program that will reach all 58 counties, opening eligibility up to 2.4 million children in California. The 2022-23 state budget also includes $68.2 million in one-time funding to establish the program in partnership with The Dollywood Foundation, under the administration of the State Librarian.
Research shows that early reading offers numerous benefits for childhood development in the first five years of life. Getting children excited about books and inspiring shared family reading time helps build language and memory skills, and sparks a child’s imagination. Research demonstrates that young children who are exposed to books and who read early and often are better prepared for kindergarten and excel academically. SB 1183 will immediately allow the State Librarian and The Dollywood Foundation to begin establishing local Imagination Library partners, with new county programs anticipated to launch and begin enrolling children mid-2023.
“Growing up with very little money in southwest Virginia, my parents taught me that books were my ticket to see the world,” said Pro Tem Atkins. “A deep love of reading and learning is the greatest gift they ever gave me—it is so special to be able to pass that on to children across California. And, to be able to do so in partnership with my friend, Senator Grove, and my country music idol, Dolly Parton, is just icing on the cake.”
Register a Child
Check Availability online to enroll California children or get involved. Check back often to see if Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has an affiliate in your area or stay tuned to expansion progress and news!
In September, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library gifted over 2,105,531 books. The total number of free books gifted as of September 2022, is 190,859,995!
Group 1 Children Born in 2022
“Can You Guess? Animal Sounds with the Very Hungry Caterpillar”
By Eric Carle
Group 1 – Registered Children Born in 2022
Australia – “Five Little Platypuses”– 1/9/22
Canada – “Sleep Tight with the Very Hungry Caterpillar” – 8/29/22
Ireland – “Baby Says Peekaboo” – 31/8/22
United Kingdom – “Baby Says Peekaboo” – 31/8/22
USA – “Can You Guess? Animal Sounds with the Very Hungry Caterpillar” – 9/27/22
Group 2 Children Born in 2021
“The Kids’ Picture Show: Vehicles”
By Chieri DeGregorio and Steve DeGregorio
Group 2 – Registered Children Born in 2021
Australia – “I am Kind” – 1/9/22
Canada – “Counting with Barefoot Critters” – 8/29/22
Ireland – “How to Brush Your Teeth with Snappy Croc” – 31/8/22
United Kingdom – “How to Brush Your Teeth with Snappy Croc” – 31/8/22
USA – “The Kids’ Picture Show: Vehicles” – 9/26/22
Group 3 Children Born in 2020
“Mine, Mine, Mine, Yours!”
By Kimberly Gee
Group 3 – Registered Children Born in 2020
Australia – “Animals Move” – 1/9/22
Canada – “Little Excavator” – 8/29/22
Ireland – “Alphabet Ice Cream” – 31/8/22
United Kingdom – “Alphabet Ice Cream” – 31/8/22
USA – “Mine, Mine, Mine, Yours!” – 9/20/22
Group 4 Children Born in 2019
“Richard Scarry’s Busy Busy People”
By Richard Scarry
Group 4 – Registered Children Born in 2019
Australia – “The Great Garden Mystery” – 1/9/22
Canada – “Richard Scarry’s Busy Busy People” – 8/29/22
Ireland – “Jonathan the Magic Pony” – 31/8/22
United Kingdom – “Jonathan the Magic Pony” – 31/8/22
USA – “Richard Scarry’s Busy Busy People” – 9/13/22
Group 5 Children Born in 2018
“Goldilocks & the Three Bears”
By Jan Brett
Group 5 – Registered Children Born in 2018
Australia – “Harrison’s Song”– 1/9/22
Canada – “The Aquanaut” – 8/29/22
Ireland – “You Choose Fairy Tales ” – 31/8/22
United Kingdom – “You Choose Fairy Tales ” – 31/8/22
USA – “Goldilocks & the Three Bears” – 9/12/22
Group 6 Children Born in 2017
“Hugo & the Impossible Thing”
By Renée Felice Smith and Chris Gabriel & Illustrated by Sydney Hanson
Group 6 – Registered Children Born in 2017
Australia – “The Thank You Present”– 1/9/22
Canada – “Hugo & the Impossible Thing” – 8/29/22
Ireland – “Lion vs Rabbit” – 31/8/22
United Kingdom – “Lion vs Rabbit” – 31/8/22
USA – “Hugo & the Impossible Thing” – 9/2/22
Welcome Book First Book Children Receive
“The Little Engine That Could”
By Watty Piper & Illustrated by Dan Santat
Welcome Book – First book sent to registered children
Australia – “Wombat Big, Puggle Small” or “Roo Knows Blue”– 1/9/22
Canada – “The Little Engine That Could” – 8/29/22
Ireland – “The Little Engine That Could” – 31/8/22
United Kingdom – “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” – 31/8/22
USA – “The Little Engine That Could” – 9/1/22
Graduation Book Last Book Children Receive
“Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!”
By Nancy Carlson
Graduation Book – Last book children receive when they graduate from the program
Australia – “Starting School” – 1/9/22
Canada – “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” – 8/29/22
Ireland – “The Selfish Giant” – 29/7/22
United Kingdom – “Just Imagine” – 29/7/22
USA – “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” – 9/1/22
New to the Imagination Library?
You can check availability in your area to register a child, sign up to receive a notification when the Imagination Library becomes available to you or learn more about how to Start A Program in your area.
In August, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library gifted over 2,074,207 books. The total number of free books gifted as of August 2022, is 188,754,464!
Group 1 Children Born in 2022
“Baby! Talk!”
By Penny Gentieu
Group 1 – Registered Children Born in 2022
Australia – “I Have”– 1/8/22
Canada – “Animals” – 7/30/22
Ireland – “Baby Touch: Farm” – 29/7/22
United Kingdom – “Baby Touch: Farm” – 29/7/22
USA – “Baby! Talk!” – 8/22/22
Group 2 Children Born in 2021
“Little Poems for Tiny Ears”
By Lin Oliver & Illustrated by Tomie dePaola
Group 2 – Registered Children Born in 2021
Australia – “Q is for Quokka” – 1/8/22
Canada – “Clap Your Hands” – 7/30/22
Ireland – “Stanley’s Colours” – 29/7/22
United Kingdom – “Stanley’s Colours” – 29/7/22
USA – “Little Poems for Tiny Ears” – 8/19/22
Group 3 Children Born in 2020
“There’s a Hole in the Log in the Bottom of the Lake”
By Loren Long
Group 3 – Registered Children Born in 2020
Australia – “A River” or “There’s A Superhero in Your Book” – 1/8/22
Canada – “There’s a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake” – 7/30/22
Ireland – “There’s a Superhero in Your Book” – 29/7/22
United Kingdom – “There’s a Superhero in Your Book” – 29/7/22
USA – “There’s a Hole in the Log in the Bottom of the Lake” – 8/11/22
Group 4 Children Born in 2019
“Ocean Lullaby”
By Laura Mcgee Kvasnosky & Illustrated by Kate Harvey McGee
Group 4 – Registered Children Born in 2019
Australia – “Jonathan the Magic Pony” – 1/8/22
Canada – “Read to Tiger” – 7/30/22
Ireland – “Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy” – 30/7/22
United Kingdom – “Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy” – 30/7/22
USA – “Ocean Lullaby” – 7/30/22
Group 5 Children Born in 2018
“Birds of a Feather”
By Jacqueline Winspear & Illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman
Group 5 – Registered Children Born in 2018
Australia – “Colouroos”– 1/8/22
Canada – “On The Trap Line” – 7/30/22
Ireland – “Dog Loves Counting ” – 29/7/22
United Kingdom – “Dog Loves Counting ” – 29/7/22
USA – “Birds of a Feather” – 8/8/22
Group 6 Children Born in 2017
“Wonder Walkers”
By Micha Archer
Group 6 – Registered Children Born in 2017
Australia – “Every Child A Song” or “The Bunyip of Berkeley’s Creek”– 1/8/22
Canada – “This is Ruby” – 7/30/22
Ireland – “Pablo: Pablo’s Feelings” – 30/7/22
United Kingdom – “Kicking a Ball” – 30/7/22
USA – “Wonder Walkers” – 8/3/22
Welcome Book First Book Children Receive
“The Little Engine That Could”
Written by Watty Piper & Illustrated by Dan Santat
Welcome Book – First book sent to registered children
Australia – “Roo Knows Blue” or “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”– 1/8/22
Canada – “The Little Engine That Could” – 7/30/22
Ireland – “The Little Engine That Could” – 29/7/22
United Kingdom – “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” – 29/7/22
USA – “The Little Engine That Could” – 8/2/22
Graduation Book Last Book Children Receive
“Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!”
By Nancy Carlson
Graduation Book – Last book children receive when they graduate from the program
Australia – “Starting School” – 1/8/22
Canada – “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” – 7/30/22
Ireland – “The Selfish Giant” – 29/7/22
United Kingdom – “Just Imagine” – 29/7/22
USA – “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” – 8/2/22
New to the Imagination Library?
You can check availability in your area to register a child, sign up to receive a notification when the Imagination Library becomes available to you or learn more about how to Start A Program in your area.
Watch as Dolly Parton performs live during a visit to the West Virginia Statewide Celebration of the Imagination Library, streaming live Aug. 9 at 5:30 PM ET.
On Tuesday, August 9, join Dolly Parton for a livestream broadcast as she visits West Virginia for a statewide celebration of her Imagination Library!
Children whose parents enroll them in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of West Virginia receive one, free book in the mail each month from birth through age five at no cost, creating a personal library of as many as 60 books that can help form the foundation of a child’s early reading experience. The program is administered through a partnership between Marshall University’s June Harless Center and the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE).
Last year, the WVDE announced a major Imagination Library milestone with all 55 counties becoming active in the program. Dolly promised to visit West Virginia once all counties were onboard, making the state one of 11 in the U.S. with the distinction.
West Virginia Livestream Event at 5:30 PM EST
At 5:30 p.m. ET, tune in to watch Dolly as she joins West Virginia Governor Jim Justice for a sit-down interview and musical performance to celebrate the statewide expansion of West Virginia’s Imagination Library. The special livestream broadcast will be available to watch simultaneously on West Virginia Public Broadcasting television stations and social media channels, YouTube, as well as the Imagination Library website and Facebook page — and will include a performance by the Appalachian Children’s Chorus, greetings from Gov. Jim Justice, presentations from State Superintendent W. Clayton Burch, and a fireside chat with Marshall University President Brad Smith.
Register a Child
We’re celebrating the successful statewide coverage of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the eligibility of children under five to enroll in West Virginia! Check Availability in your area and register a child for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library today.