Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has been distributing books to young children worldwide since 1995. Starting in the singer’s home state in the United States, the program has expanded to countries like Canada, the UK, Australia, and Ireland. In 2025, the program reached a major milestone—distributing over 300 million books to children under five years old. The initiative gives a new book each month to enrolled children, with parents and caregivers simply needing to sign up in areas where the program operates. In the UK, the Imagination Library has made a significant impact, with books reaching homes across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Research by Caroline Zwierzchowska-Dod at Swansea University found that the program encourages more shared reading between parents and children, improves early literacy, and helps prepare children for school. Dolly Parton started the program to honor her father, who struggled with illiteracy, and it has inspired similar initiatives globally, such as the UK’s BookTrust Bookstart program. Studies show that reading “first word” books with young children helps them learn new words, and regular reading routines can increase a child’s interest in reading and a parent’s confidence. Early exposure to books helps form lasting reading habits. In the UK, schools follow a national curriculum that includes teaching children how to link sounds with letters (systematic synthetic phonics) and creating a language-rich environment. However, despite this, 20-25% of children still fail to meet reading standards at ages six and 11. Reading difficulties can also appear during adolescence, particularly among children from disadvantaged backgrounds. This has led to training programs for secondary school teachers to support reading development. Research suggests that both a child’s motivation to read and their reading skills are important. However, skills must come first to create a positive cycle where reading becomes easier and more enjoyable over time. Early help is not enough on its own. Teachers and academics need to continue identifying and supporting children who struggle with reading throughout their school years. This is because the skills needed for reading change as children grow. At first, understanding spoken language is key, but as children learn to read, they need to understand the sounds of their language (phonology) and how these relate to letters (orthography). As reading becomes more complex, other skills like vocabulary, comprehension, and background knowledge also play a role. Because of this, reading challenges can arise at any stage, and ongoing support and monitoring are essential.