Oregon Makes Reading a Priority

Bend News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jun 28, 2026 · 1m

Oregon just made history by officially enshrining the Dolly Parton Imagination Library into state law, sending free monthly books to every child from birth to age five. With literacy rates among the nation’s lowest, especially for fourth graders, this bold move—signed by Governor Tina Kotek amid cheering families—aims to spark a lifelong love of reading. Parents rave about the joy of receiving mail for their kids and the bonding moments sparked by the books, which even include parenting tips. Now legally backed, the program is poised to scale up, ensuring every Oregonian child gets the gift…