Letter from Dolly Parton to the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation (January 2015)

On the left side of the letter, there is the red-and-black logo for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the logo for The Dollywood Foundation. Below are the names of individuals who served on the Board of Directors in 2015. Dated January 2015, the letter informs the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation of The Snowy Day being selected for the 2016 Imagination Library Program. Dolly signs off with her iconic signature.

In 1995, Dolly Parton started the Imagination Library, which has gifted over 300 million (and counting) books to children! While processing recent materials for the Ezra Jack Keats Collection, we found a letter sent to the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation with Dolly's iconic signature.

Each year, the Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee chooses the books that are sent to children through Imagination Library. In 2015, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats was chosen. First published in 1962, this beloved picture book continues to touch the hearts of children around the world.

Dolly signed off by thanking Keats and the Foundation for inspiring children to “Dream More, Learn More, Care More, & Be More!” A fitting message to remember someone who brings the joy of reading to so many children. This item can be found in the Ezra Jack Keats Papers (DG0001).

Text by Ashlynn Steiner, assistant curator of the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection.



Transcription of letter:

January 2015

Dear Ezra Jack Keats Estate,

I wanted to take a moment and send my personal congratulations! The Snowy Day has been selected by our Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee for the 2016 edition of my Imagination Library program in the United States and Canada.

As you may know, I started the Imagination Library program in my home county, Sevier County, TN, back in 1995 and never dreamed that it would grow so far and so fast. To date, we have mailed over 75,000,000 books to kids in over 1,700 communities across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. Just last year we mailed over 10 million books straight into children’s homes at nop cost to the families.

Our Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee reviews hundreds of books each year, so in my opinion, you are truly a star. Thank you so much for allowing us to use this book to inspire children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, & Be More!

Love,

Dolly Parton