Dolly Parton Imagination Library, Wake County Smart Start promote early literacy

Raleigh, N.C. — Wake County Smart Start and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library are working together to get books into the hands of Wake County's youngest children.

The program helps foster a love of reading among preschool children, providing them with the gift of a specially-selected book each month.

Parton's Imagination Library was started in 1995 as an effort to make sure every child has access to books regardless of their family's income.

In Wake County, 32 percent of third-grade students are not at reading grade level.

The program was launched to improve reading outcomes by helping children have a strong literacy education before kindergarten.