Since 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has been sending free books to children across the United States and beyond. Initially, her goal was simply to provide kids in her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee, with a book each month. But the simple idea spread, and by July 2025, the program had surpassed 280 million books distributed.
Dolly often receives thank-you letters from parents, teachers, and children who grew up with Imagination Library books. But one letter that arrived in the summer of 2025 moved her to tears.
It came from a single mother in Central Florida whose young son was born with a serious heart condition. In her letter, she wrote that during the long days and nights in the hospital, the books from Imagination Library were the only thing that made the outside world feel close. “Every time a new book arrived, it was like bringing the whole sky into the hospital room. My son devoured every word, and I saw a light in his eyes — something even the doctors said was more precious than any medicine.”
The letter ended with a single, short sentence: “Thank you for giving my son a childhood, even when he had to grow up in a hospital.”
Dolly said she sat quietly for a long time after reading it. She had founded Imagination Library to encourage reading, but she never expected it to become part of such profound, personal life stories. For her, each book is more than just paper and ink — it’s a bridge connecting children to hope, joy, and imagination.
Today, Imagination Library continues to send more than 3 million books each month to children in various countries. But for Dolly, the 280 million figure is only the surface. The true value lies in the individual stories behind it, like that summer letter — a reminder that sometimes what we give comes back to us in ways that can’t be measured.
🎵 Suggested listening: “Coat of Many Colors” – Dolly Parton.
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