BILLY SHIELDS: This holiday season a lot of kids in Central Virginia are going to have books to read.

That's thanks to a program spearheaded by Dolly Parton.

KIMBERLY FEHRS: It's been very positive.

There's been a huge groundswell about reading in general.

And, clearly Virginia Literacy Act, and there's been a lot of focus on literacy.

But parents have been really excited about the program.

I've had a lot of feedback from them.

BILLY SHIELDS: It's called the Imagination Library.

It's a program that aims to get one book a month to kids aged 0 to 5.

It started out at the local level.

Delegate Carrie Coyner gives some examples.

CARRIE COYNER: We have the Junior Federated Women's Club of Chester that has been growing and expanding their Dolly Parton Imagination Library efforts for Chesterfield County.

We have the Rotary Club of Hopewell that has greatly expanded their efforts.

BILLY SHIELDS: The program cost those organizations 26 bucks a kid.

But after Coyner introduced a bill in the General Assembly earlier this year to expand statewide matching funds, it can cost an outfit as little as half that.

CARIIE COYNER: So many families came up who had older kids with them, and we're very thankful that they had had the opportunity to have books mailed to them, what a difference it had made.

We had grandparents come up to us who said they were so excited to see this in Virginia.

KIMBERLY FEHRS: Say, if you enroll your child at infancy, they have the chance to get 60 books by the time they turn 5.

BILLY SHIELDS: The part of the program, Kimberly Fehrs Overseas offers books to kids in Richmond and recently, Petersburg.

Right now, they have more than 4,000 kids signed up.

KIMBERLY FEHRS: And so they're making- we're making a sort of community of readers within Richmond.

And it's been really exciting to see.

BILLY SHIELDS: But the end of the rainbow is in sight.

State funding is scheduled to end in 2029.

CARRIE COYNER: My hope is that we work really hard to get that funding in place this year, and that we show its success.

We collect the data that shows this is making a difference in educational experiences for kids.

And then yes, that data tells us that we should keep this going.

KIMBERLY FEHRS: It's just the families have been so excited.

You know, the kids are just thrilled to go to the mailbox and actually have something with their name on it.

BILLY SHIELDS: Coyner says she's going to fight hard to keep it going.

And if anyone wanted to know where it could go.

Just ask what the most popular book is.

CARRIE COYNER: You know, “Little Engine That Could” continues to be the number one book that parents and grandparents say their- I think maybe it's part of because it's the first book that you get, but it's just such a great classic.

BILLY SHIELDS: Because what could determine if the Imagination Library succeeds is whether those involved think it can .

Billy Shields, VPM News.