The wonderful world of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is now available in Aberdeen. The free monthly book gifting initiative is aimed at looked after children under 5 years old.
Children may be looked after in different ways, including at home, in foster care, in kinship care, with prospective adopters and in residential placements.
All children enrolled in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library will receive a free book in the post every month until their fifth birthday. A child enrolled from birth can build their own library of up to 60 books before their fifth birthday.
The books help promote the development of speech, language and communication; the sharing of books; and helps build relationships. They are sent directly to the child's home and children and their families can look forward to the monthly deliveries which become a real family event.
All titles in the Imagination Library are carefully selected by a panel of experts in early childhood literacy and reading. Every book is personally addressed to each individual child.
Dolly, one of the world's biggest female singer-songwriters said: "I am delighted to be working with Aberdeen City Council on a project which has already brought so much joy to millions of children all over the world."
Dolly Parton set up the first Imagination Library in her hometown of Tennessee in 1995 as a tribute to her father, a smart and hardworking man who was unable to read or write.
Since 1995, the Dollywood Foundation has sent over 83million free books to children worldwide, with more than 1.3million posted in the UK and counting.
For more information on how to enrol a looked after child on to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, please email peep@aberdeencity.gov.uk
The public library service is also available to support children and families. Membership is available to children from birth allowing access to a wide range of resources to encourage a lifelong love of reading.