It was sad but strangely fitting that Dolly Parton should have died during the UK’s National Year of Reading, given the way the much-loved country singer used her wealth and influence to promote reading.
Parton’s Imagination Library has provided hundreds of millions of books to pre-school children around the world since 1995. While books are of course important, my work as a reading and language academic makes clear this must be complemented with robust reading instruction and support that is sustained through childhood and adolescence for those who need it.
