August 25, 2026 · Ellen O'Connell Whittet

Long Live Dolly Parton, Giver of Books

The books themselves were carefully curated and calibrated with my child’s age. Some were classics and some were new to me. The children were representative of children in this country, meaning they were white and Black and brown and Asian. The pictures were well illustrated and the stories were inspired. It was always an event in our home when one showed up in our mailbox. And on my daughter’s fifth birthday, waiting for me in my email inbox, was a message from Dolly.