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Dolly Parton Launches Children's Book Series Amid COVID Chaos

Fern Robinson

   VOA NEWS - American country music singer Dolly Parton has launched
   "Good Night with Dolly,"a10-weekread-aloud series for childrenon
   YouTube and other internet platforms.

   "This is something I have been wantingto do for quite a while, but the
   timing never felt quite right," Parton said."I think it is pretty clear
   that now is the time toshare a story andtosharesome love."

   Partonreadthe 90-year-old classicThe Little Engine That Couldin the
   first episode Thursday evening.

   The books chosenfortheseries "will focus on comforting and reassuring
   children during the shelter-in-place mandates"put in place because of
   thecoronaviruspandemicParton'sImagination Librarysaid.

   Thelibrary, inspired by Parton's father,who could not read, has mailed
   more than 130 million free books to children since itsinceptionin
   1995.It now mails over 1 million books each month to children in five
   countries.

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