Got Kids Who Like To Read? Imagination Library Is Coming To Missouri!

When I was a young child, we had contest in grade school that had us reading as many books as we could.  We were asked to read them out loud to an adult, or a teacher, and give a brief synopsis of the story.  If you were able to do that, you got recognized and could earn coupons to Baskin's Robbins, or Pizza Hut.

Kids who are able to read at an earlier age tend to do better in school.  Anything that will get kids to read more, instead of spending hours playing video games, is thumbs up in my book.

Enter Dolly Parton!

If you are not familiar with her Imagination Library program, here is what it is:  Imagination Library is a free book gifting program that mails high-quality, age-appropriate books to young kids.  Dolly Parton created “Imagination Library” in 1995 to inspire young children to read. Through her program, it gifts books free of charge to kids from birth to age five on a monthly basis.  She was inspired to create this because her father wasn't able to read or write.

Missouri Office of Childhood Director Pam Thomas says a new state law will allow Missouri to partner with “Imagination Library” to share the cost of this reading effort. The rollout is expected to begin next summer. About 450 thousand Missouri children could sign up to get books each month. The United Way of Sedalia has been doing this for a while, and now the State of Missouri will have more of an outreach.

You can learn more about the Imagination Library by clicking HERE for their Facebook page, and HERE for their website.  Many young kids know Dolly as the "Book Lady" as opposed to the country music icon that she is.  Just another reason why she is the National Treasure that she is.  She created something that got young kids to explore reading.  That is a wonderful thing.