MORE than 20 intrepid young Bendigo children will look forward to the arrival of books in their letterboxes from next month.
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The youngsters, aged birth to five years, are taking part in an ambitious program to improve literacy levels in disadvantaged areas of Australia.
Known as Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, program participants will receive a book in the mail each month until turning five.
Their families will be given tips on how to read to children.
The program, which has run in parts of Australia for about three years, has been rolled out in Bendigo.
It was launched on Wednesday at the Eaglehawk Community House.
Program coordinator John Jones said it was hoped at least 100 Bendigo families would be involved, with more than 20 already signed-up.
"We then need to find people willing to sponsor the children for $7 a month," he said.
"(Councillor) Peter Cox when he was mayor last year kicked it off with a personal donation of $1000.
"We have had some significant other private donations and (on Wednesday) we secured Kluwell Publications as our first corporate sponsor.
"We almost have the first year covered, but the more people who sponsor the more kids we can enrol."
The program was iniated in 1995 by the country music legend, who wanted every pre-school child in her native Sevier County, Tennessee to have their own collection of books.
Nearly 600,000 children in the US, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia now receive books each month.
The program has been run in Australia since 2013 by United Way, in partnership with Penguin Books and Rotary.
Literacy is a cause close to Mr Jones' heart.
As a long-time former school principal he is well versed in the issues associated with undeveloped reading skills.
"I saw kids ocassionally come to school who were asked to show us the front of ther book and they looked at you blankly," he said.
"They'd never had any experience with books.
"That seems impossible in a society like ours, but that's just the way it is."
Research shows more than one in four children starting school in Bendigo lack the required literacy skills.
"That's at least a quarter who haven't had the access to print or oral language and that's what we are trying to address," he said.
The program has won key backing from the Bendigo Business Council. To register or sponsor a child visit au.imaginationlibrary.com
