"It was an easy sell," said Fran DeWine while the family dog – a springer spaniel named Dolly after Parton – nestled nearby. "(Lawmakers) realized that this is just an incredible way to help get our kids ready for kindergarten." Why early reading matters To pay for the books, Ohio lawmakers allocated $18 million to match what local organizations, such as United Way or Easterseals, chip in.įran DeWine has championed the early literacy program since Mike DeWine took office in 2019. Parton's Imagination Library offers these books at a fraction of their original cost – $2.10 per child, per month. The program is available to all children regardless of their families' income. The first book delivered is "The Little Engine that Could" and the final book is "Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come." Nearly 328,000 Ohio children – about 45% of those eligible – are currently receiving free books each month. 'It’s better to give than to receive': Dolly Parton discusses book program's legacyįree books for Ohio kids: How to sign up for the new Governor's Imagination Library I love that name, don’t you?" Parton riffed during the event. "Please pass the DeWine.” Mike DeWine and other literacy advocates Tuesday to celebrate the program's success so far and push for more participants. Now, those free books are available for children ages 5 and younger across the world – including every county in Ohio. “I just always felt my heart was always heavy that my Daddy felt like there was something he couldn’t do, because we thought he could do anything.” “Daddy didn’t get a chance to read and write and he was always kind of embarrassed by that,” Parton said.
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