JJAB News

Los Alamos JJAB is thrilled to announce the launch of a new bilingual English/Spanish book collection for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. We are particularly excited about this initiative as it paves the way for equitable access to high-quality children’s books for Spanish-speaking families. This addition reflects the Imagination Library’s commitment to inclusivity and the importance of supporting bilingualism in early childhood education.

The updated program launched in New Mexico in June, providing families enrolled in the Imagination Library program with access to a carefully curated selection of books featuring both English and Spanish text.

New registrants will be able to choose which collection of books they would like to receive. Those who have already signed up can easily switch options through their Imagination Library portal.

The options will be:

• English – This collection features mostly English books with a sprinkle of bilingual English/Spanish titles.
• Bilingual English/Spanish – All bilingual books!

A national book selection committee lovingly curates both collections to inspire a passion for reading. While some books will overlap between the two collections, each will have unique titles sent out each month. Most of these fantastic bilingual titles have been specially translated into Spanish just for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library by Penguin Random House and are not available for sale in stores.

Rachel Mohr-Richards, JJAB Executive Director, emphasizes the importance of the program by stating, “Reading at an early age fosters a love for learning and develops essential language skills. JJAB recognizes that with the launch of the bilingual collection, the program aims to reach even more families, helping our children build their imagination, understand the world around them, and set a solid foundation for their life journey.”

Since October 2017, JJAB has been the local partner for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, with over 1,614 children participating, resulting in 43,097 books mailed to children in Los Alamos County. The program mails high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth until they turn five. Every month, the child receives a book that is carefully selected, addressed to them, and mailed to their home, regardless of their family’s income. There is NO COST to the family! As a partner, JJAB secures funding for the wholesale books, mailing costs, and local promotion of the program. The Dollywood Foundation covers all overhead, registration, and administrative expenses. Families can register their child at www.imaginationlibrary.com.

Los Alamos JJAB is a 501(c)3 nonprofit working in Los Alamos County to reduce youth risk behaviors, facilitate positive youth development, and build resiliency through responsive, effective programming.

Information regarding JJAB programs and services can be found at www.losalamosjjab.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram at LosAlamosJJAB.