How 'Book Queen' Dolly Parton inspired millions of children with gift of reading
Dolly Parton's 'Imagination Library' literacy program has reached a milestone of 300 million books distributed to children worldwide. The initiative, which provides free monthly books to children under five, was inspired by Parton's father and his struggle with illiteracy.
Why it matters
The program has had a measurable impact on early childhood literacy and educational access across multiple countries.
Image caption, Dolly Parton first launched Imagination Library in her home county in Tennessee
One child in Denver called her "The Book Queen".
Across the globe in Australia, a toddler with speech delays delighted her family with her first word - "orange" - after she and her twin sister received a free book in the post about colours. It came from Imagination Library, the literacy programme begun by late global superstar Dolly Parton.
Parton, who died this week aged 80, launched the philanthropic effort in 1995 to honour her father - whose difficult Appalachian upbringing never allowed him to finish school or learn to read and write.
"He was the smartest man I have ever known, but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams," wrote Parton in an open letter on Imagination Library's website.
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