EXCLUSIVE: A British mum has told how Dolly Parton's Imagination Library helped her young son develop a love of reading, as the star's remarkable book-gifting legacy continues after death13:45, 26 Aug 2026Dolly Parton has left a lasting legacy for millions of children across the world through a book-gifting scheme she set up more than 30 years ago.‌The country music legend, who died aged 80 after a brief battle with cancer, founded the Imagination Library to help children develop a love of reading from an early age. The scheme sends youngsters a free, age-appropriate book addressed personally to them every month from birth until they turn five.‌The Imagination Library was initially launched in Dolly’s native Tennessee in 1995 in honour of her father, who could not read or write but who she considered the smartest man she knew. The scheme stretched across the globe, with children in the UK also receiving the books. The mum of one of those children has spoken to the Mirror about the huge impact the programme has had on her children.‌Christina Partington, 37, who shares family content on Tiktok, is mum-of-two to Louis, four, and Penelope, one, enrolled in the library two years ago after a local councillor invited the family to join. She has noticed significant growth in Louis since he began receiving the books.She said: “He is excited for his present from Dolly every month when he sees it on the door mat. We have read to him every day and he’s starting school in September and is starting to read and write some simple words. Having access to books from an early age has given him the foundation to develop these amazing literacy skills.”‌She told the Mirror: “I know the charity gives kids from deprived areas access to books that they might overwise get. What a legacy she has left.”Christina has since spoken to her son about Dolly’s death, and he said he is sad he never got to meet her. She said: “He said he loved the books and hopes he still gets his monthly present from Dolly.”‌Louis also said his favourite books are the ones with dinosaurs and looks forward to night time for his bedtime story. The library later expanded around the world, with Dolly launching the programme in the UK in 2007 and the first books sent to children the following year.Since then, she has gifted more than 300 million free books to children across the world, including in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and the Republic of Ireland. The Imagination Library operates through around 100 local partner organisations in the UK, including local authorities, councils and charities.Among those to benefit is Essex Virtual School, a team of education experts and advisers which tracks and champions the education of vulnerable children. The virtual school has been signed up to the scheme for four years and has noticed a “huge” difference.‌Sharon Halsey, PEP and virtual school operational lead, said: “On average the charity has provided around 100 books a month for children in care and those known to social care under the age of five... It’s been very positive, the families that have had the books have said it’s been lovely to get a new book each month, to be able to share that with the child. It creates bonding and conversation.”“Nationally every body saw libraries have seen a decline for visits from families, because the pressures from lives. It was an additional offer for our younger cohort. It goes through the post marked for the young person themselves, it’s really personal to them. The books are focused on the age of the child, and if there is a young person that has special needs there can be a request that their books are aimed at a lower age group.”‌The library has also expanded to include bilingual and braille books and is funded through her Dollywood Foundation and local community programme partners. Dolly set up the Dollywood Foundation in 1988 with the aim of helping children in her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee, succeed at school and improve graduation rates.Three years later, she launched the Buddy Program in a bid to tackle the number of youngsters dropping out of school. Pupils were asked to pair up with a fellow student, with Dolly promising each of them $500 if they both went on to graduate. The initiative was credited with helping cut the local dropout rate from 35 per cent to just six per cent.Dolly’s philanthropy stretched far beyond the foundation and Imagination Library. In 2000, she launched the Dolly Parton Scholarship, which awards $15,000 to five graduating students in Sevier County each year. Over the years, the star also raised and donated money to causes including hospital maternity units, women’s services, families who lost their homes in wildfires and hurricane relief efforts.Article continues belowBut Jeff Conyers, president and vice chair of the Dollywood Foundation, said the Imagination Library was particularly close to the star’s heart. He said: "A lot of people know Dolly in a lot of different ways. She was so talented, you know, as a songwriter and a musician and an actress. But, I think one of the most special things about her was just how big her heart was for all people and humanity and especially for this program, inspiring children.”Jeff said the Imagination Library was particularly close to the star’s heart. He said Dolly was a “huge dreamer” from a young age who grew up with little but had faith she would go on to “do something big in the world”. He added: “And so when she got the opportunity to build something like the Imagination Library and give that gift to millions of children and families around the world and do that in a way that honored her father and her mother, I just really can’t think of anything that was more important to her.”The Imagination Library will continue following Dolly’s death, with the Dollywood Foundation saying the programme was built to “last for generations”.