Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: A Free Book in the Mail Every Month for Kids Under 5

Where a local program exists, children from birth to age five get a free, age-appropriate book mailed to them each month. Here is how to check your area and sign up, plus how grandparents can help.

“Class, this is the only mail a toddler will ever be excited to get that is not a box to sit in. Although, let’s be honest, they will sit in the envelope too.”

What is the Imagination Library?

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book-gifting program started by the singer in her home county in Tennessee back in 1995. Today it operates in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.

Here is the deal. Each month, an enrolled child gets a brand-new, age-appropriate book in the mail, with their own name on the label. Books keep coming from birth until the child’s fifth birthday. There is no income requirement and no cost to the family.

How is it free? Local partners, such as libraries, United Ways, school districts, and community groups, raise money for their area, and in some places the state chips in too. The Imagination Library handles picking the books, buying them, and coordinating the mailing. That is why the program is available only where a local partner exists.

Why I assign it to my students

• It is truly free. No subscription, no shipping charge, no “free trial” that turns into a bill.
• It builds a home library. By age five, a child enrolled from birth can have a whole shelf of their own books.
• Kids love getting mail. A package with your name on it is a big deal when you are three.
• It makes reading a habit. A new book every month is a built-in reason to snuggle up and read together.

How to sign up, step by step

1. Check availability. Use the button on this handout and look for the option to check if your area is covered. You will enter the child’s address details.
2. If it is available, register. The online form is short. The site says it takes less than five minutes.
3. Use the child’s home address. The program is tied to where the child lives, not where relatives live.
4. Watch for confirmation. If you gave an email address, you may get a note when the registration is approved.
5. Be patient. It can take a couple of months for the first book to arrive.
6. Keep the address current. If you move, update your information and file a change of address with the post office. If you move to a new area, check whether a program exists there.

Who it’s great for

• College students and young parents: If you are raising a little one on a tight student budget, this is a monthly gift with no strings.
• Young families: Sign up right after birth to get the full five years of books.
• Working adults: Busy weeks are easier when bedtime reading arrives in the mailbox.
• Grandparents and retirees: Share the link with your family, read the monthly book on video calls, or volunteer with your local program.

Things to watch for

• Not every area has it. Availability depends on a local partner, so check first.
• Kids age out at five. Sign up early to get the most books.
• Books are chosen for you. You do not get to pick titles, but each one is matched to the child’s age.
• Only use the official site or your local partner. You should never be asked to pay to register your own child.

Professor Ima B. Cheap

Program availability, rules, and timing vary by area and can change. Cheap101 is not affiliated with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Contact your local program partner with eligibility questions. More handouts: Cheap101 Class Handouts · Free samples, freebies and rebates