Dolly Parton Celebrates 30 Years of Literacy and Love Through Song

Andy Frye

| Trending

Dolly Parton is not only a renowned singer-songwriter, but she also shows a significant concern for helping children learn and imagine. Her special book program, called the Imagination Library, is celebrating its 30th anniversary! In Central Florida, the program remains strong, providing free books to children from birth through their fifth birthday. Since its inception in 1995, the Imagination Library has distributed over 280 million books to children worldwide. It helps kids fall in love with reading and build their very own book collections.

Many local groups have helped make Dolly’s dream a reality. One group, the Rotary Club of College Park, recently distributed its 50,000th book. That’s like stacking books all the way up to the top of the Empire State Building. One person from the club, Frank McMillan, said that helping 1,500 kids learn to read is one of the best things he has ever done. Another group in Lake County started by giving books to 70 kids in 2023 and now helps over 1,000 kids every month! A mom named Marjorie Bernadell from Orlando says that these books help them spend special time with their children. “It just gives us an opportunity to sit together and learn new words,” she said.

Dolly Parton Imagination Library still going strong in Central Florida. Here’s where to find it

Dolly says the people who help with her book program are the real heroes. She said,“The real heroes of our story are the thousands of local partners who have embraced my dream and made it their own.” In places like Volusia, Flagler, and Polk counties, donations from community members help ensure that kids continue to receive books. For many families, these books aren’t just fun stories—they’re also tools to help kids learn new things, grow smarter, and imagine big dreams.

RELATED:  From Poverty to Pain to Power: The Real Story Behind Dolly’s Smile

But Dolly doesn’t just tell stories through books; she does it with songs, too! One of her songs is a duet (a song sung by two people) with James Ingram. It’s called “The Day I Fall in Love.” In the music video, Dolly and James sing together with great emotion, telling the story of how love can change everything. Their voices sound really nice together as they sing about the magic of falling in love.

Dolly Parton, James Ingram – The Day I Fall In Love

The lyrics have lines like: “Just an ordinary day, started the same old way, then I looked into your eyes and knew.” That means sometimes love surprises us when we least expect it. The way Dolly and James sing reveals feelings of happiness and tenderness that occur when people open their hearts to someone they care about.

From giving kids their first books to singing beautiful songs, Dolly Parton inspires people of all ages. Her book program demonstrates that she cares deeply about kids and their future. Songs like “The Day I Fall in Love” prove that she can evoke strong emotions in people through her music. Dolly’s work is about more than just books and songs it’s about kindness, creativity, and sharing hope with the world.

Dolly Parton ~ Austin City Limits Live 2022