Country singer Dolly Parton to read bedtime stories to children online during COVID-19 crisis

With many parents scrambling to provide their children with a routine and sense of security as the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, the woman known as the Queen of Country plans to step in to help fill some of those gaps.

“Hello, I’m Dolly Parton, the book lady from the Imagination Library,” the legendary country singer said in a video posted to her official Facebook account.

“I want you to join me April 2 when I start Goodnight with Dolly, when we’ll be reading some stories from the Imagination Library.”

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On its website, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library describes itself as a “book-gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until they begin school, no matter their family’s income.”

READ MORE: Dolly Parton makes surprise visit to senior centre in Tennessee

The program launched in 1995 and expanded to Canada in 2006.

Goodnight with Dolly will be a 10-week series where the singer of country music hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” will read stories to children that they can watch on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Imagination Library says Parton wants the initiative to “focus on comforting and reassuring children during the shelter-in-place mandates” that are in place because of the COVID-19 crisis.

“Dolly hopes these videos will provide a welcomed distraction during a time of unrest and also inspire a love of reading and books in the hearts of the children who see them,” the Imagination Library says on its website.

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The 74-year-old singer from Tennessee has sold more than 100 million records worldwide over the course of her music career. She was won nine Grammys and 11 Country Music Awards.

–With a file from Global News’ Adam Wallis