Read Manchester is supporting Gorton Imagination Library as it celebrates 50 years of The Very Hungry Caterpillar with local families. This iconic picture book by Eric Carle continues to entertain young children and families, and is gifted to children as part of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library book gifting scheme.
The scheme, which operates as the Gorton Imagination Library in a number of areas in Manchester, enrols targeted families to the scheme. Currently 460 children receive a high quality, age appropriate book in the post, every month. Children receive books from birth to age five and can build up a home library of 60 books over the five years. These are gifted free of charge to the family.
The Imagination Library is also making a difference to families with a dad in HMP Manchester. As part of the Prison Library programme to support family literacy and parental engagement, selected inmates are offered the chance to join their families to the scheme.
One dad said "My partner and baby are very grateful for the books they’ve been receiving every month. It’s a positive thing that my daughter’s been reading and learning with the different books the library has been providing. I think that the Imagination Library is a great way for people in prison to be a positive role model to their loved ones and I am grateful to be a part of it."
For £25 per year a child receives 12 fantastic books through the post. If you are an organisation or business that could help support the growth of the Imagination Library and would like out find out more, please contact c.pridgeon@manchester.gov.uk.