Dolly Parton knows a thing or two about the power and influence books can have on the minds of future readers and music fans. So it should come as no surprise that the latest initiative from the country music singer and guitarist will see her reading goodnight stories on her own weekly video series, Goodnight With Dolly.
The 10 pre-filmed episodes of the online series will begin to air weekly on April 2nd at 7 p.m. EST. Each episode will see Parton read through a different book of her choice, including two of her own publications in I Am a Rainbow and Coat of Many Colors. Other books to be read during the series will include There’s a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake by Loren Long; Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney; Stand Tall, Molly Lou Mellon by Patty Lovell; Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña; and The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, just to name a few.
“This is something I have been wanting to do for quite a while, but the timing never felt quite right,” Parton added in a statement to go with the announcement. “I think it is pretty clear that now is the time to share a story and to share some love. It is an honor for me to share the incredible talent of these authors and illustrators. They make us smile, they make us laugh and they make us think.”
Watch Dolly’s brief announcement video below.
Dolly Parton – Goodnight with Dolly [Official Announcement]
[Video: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library]
This is not the first time in which Parton has used her resources to provide children with the joys of reading. In 2018, Parton’s non-profit foundation, Imagination Library, celebrated the donation of its 100 millionth book to children in need with a ceremony held at the Library of Congress. Parton launched Imagination Library in 1995 with the mission of promoting and nurturing literacy in young children by sending one new book per month to families in need from their kids’ birth all the way through kindergarten.
Parton had planned to release a feature-length documentary on her non-profit entitled, The Library That Dolly Built, and was scheduled to premiere in select movie theaters on April 2nd–the same day her forthcoming book series premieres on YouTube.
Watch the trailer for the documentary below.
The Library That Dolly Built [Official Trailer]
Fans can tune into the Imagination Library YouTube page on April 2nd at 7 p.m. EST to watch the first of 10 planned reading episodes in full.
[H/T Consequence of Sound]