FRESNO, Calif. – Thousands of Fresno County children are building a love of reading at home, thanks to a program that has now delivered more than 100,000 free books.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library arrived in Fresno County in 2025 through a partnership between the State of California, early childhood advocates including First 5 Fresno County and its nonprofit arm Lighthouse for Children, Inc., and community partners like Valley Children’s Healthcare.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides free, age-appropriate books each month to children up to age 5, helping families build strong early literacy skills at home.
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Since the first books were mailed in March 2025, more than 100,000 books have been sent at no cost to 13,000 children in Fresno County. In that time, more than 2,000 children have “graduated” from the program, receiving their final book upon turning 5.
The program is successfully reaching families across the region. Nearly 24% of enrolled children live in rural communities, and approximately 20% receive bilingual Spanish book collections.
To learn more about the program and how it came to Fresno County, click here.
If you’d like to sign your child up for the free program, click here.
