Books For Kids!
United Way of Benton & Franklin Counites partners with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to mail an age-appropriate book to children, ages birth - 5, each month, at no cost to parents or children. For only $39, you can gift an entire year of books to a local child.
Supporting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a powerful way to make a lasting impact on the lives of children in our community. Children who are read to early in life are better prepared for kindergarten and more likely to graduate high school.
Our Imagination Library program supports children living in communities where more households struggle financially and have lower kindergarten readiness rates than the rest of the state. Only 4 out of 10 children in the areas we serve enter kindergarten with the skills they need to succeed.
Reading together is the number one thing parents can do to help their children prepare for kindergarten. You can learn more about how the Imagination Library strengthens children’s early literacy skills and family reading habits here (International Research - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library)
Families interested in signing up should click Enroll Today to check if your zip code is covered, or see Frequently Ask Questions, below.
To support the program and help our area’s littlest learners, please click Sponsor the Program, below.
Enroll Today | Sponsor the Program | Gift Books to Kids
Audio & Braille Book Options
Looking for accessible options? The Braille Tales Print/Braille Book Program presented by APH and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides 6 free books in print/braille formats a year until a child’s 6th birthday for children who are blind or visually impaired, as well for blind or visually impaired parents with children under 6. Click here to sign up your child for print/braille.
This partnership also offers audio book formats for children who are blind or visually impaired. For more information on audio book options, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Each month a new, carefully selected book will be mailed in your child’s name directly to your home. There is no cost or obligation to your family. All costs are covered by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties, and our sponsors.
Children under the age of 5 living in the following zip codes:
Benton County: 99320, 99336, 99345, 99346, and 99350
Franklin County: 99301, 99302, 99326, 99330, 99335, and 99343.
You will receive an email from the Dollywood Foundation when your child is enrolled, and will receive your first book in 8-12 weeks. Books will continue arriving each month until the child turns 5.
A child’s brain is 90% developed by the age of 5. Reading is the number one thing parents and caregivers can do to help their children prepare for kindergarten. Children who start kindergarten fully prepared are more likely to graduate high school.
You can change your address by logging into your parent account. You will need to use the email you provided when registering you child.
Funding for the Imagination Library was eliminated from the Washington State budget in July 2026, doubling the cost we pay for each book mailed to families. To sustain the program in the future and maximize its impact on kindergarten preparedness rates, we are focused on serving communities where more households struggle financially and have lower kindergarten readiness rates than the rest of the state. If we can raise enough funds, we will serve other zip codes in our Counties.
We appreciate all donations to support the program, but are unable to link a donation to a specific child.
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2026 Early Literacy Supporters
