Social distancing just got better: Dolly Parton, LeVar Burton want to read you books
As people across the country continue social distancing in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, some celebrities are getting creative with how to entertain their house-bound followers.
LeVar Burton and Dolly Parton? They want to read books to you.
On Monday, country music legend Dolly Parton announced “Goodnight with Dolly,” a weekly program where Parton reads a children’s book from her Imagination Library.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book-gifting program that ships free books to children who aren’t yet school age.
The 10-week program launches Thursday at 7 p.m. EST and aims to comfort and reassure children during shelter-in-place orders, according to a news release.
The first book Parton will read? “The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper, the release said.
“This is something I have been wanting to do for quite a while, but the timing never felt quite right,” Parton said in the release. “I think it is pretty clear that now is the time to share a story and to share some love. It is an honor for me to share the incredible talent of these authors and illustrators. They make us smile, they make us laugh and they make us think.”
The program will be available across Imagination Library, Dolly Parton, World Choice Investments, and Dollywood channels, according to the release.
LeVar Burton — actor and executive producer of PBS’ “Reading Rainbow” — also plans to read to those social distancing and he’s getting help from big names in literature to make it happen.
“I’ve been busting my brain for about a week now trying to figure out how to do a live-streamed version of #LeVarBurtonReads,” he wrote in a March 24 tweet. “I figured that during this difficult time I could contribute by reading aloud to folks who could use some diversion for themselves and their families.”
I’ve been busting my brain for about a week now trying to figure out how to do a live-streamed version of #LeVarBurtonReads. I figured that during this difficult time I could contribute by reading aloud to folks who could use some diversion for themselves and their families.
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) March 24, 2020
Burton has a podcast called LeVar Burton Reads in which he reads stories by authors such as Toni Morrison, Haruki Murakami and Ray Bradbury.
After Burton mentioned he’d been searching for short stories in the public domain to avoid legal issues, Neil Gaiman responded to Burton’s tweet giving him “blanket permission” to stream himself reading Gaiman’s stories.
You have my blanket permission for any of my stories Levar.
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) March 25, 2020
“You good Sir, are my hero!” Burton responded. “Sending love to you and yours during these turbulent times.”
HarperStacks, HarperCollins’ school library hub, also responded, giving Burton permission to read any of HarperCollins Children’s Books titles online through May 31.
Hi @levarburton! We are granting permission for online readings of HarperCollins Children’s Books titles through May 31, 2020. Please review our guidelines & check out https://t.co/hkCRaE9GTM for more info. Read on, with our ️ pic.twitter.com/IjlCRoy5s4
— HarperStacks (@HarperStacks) March 25, 2020
Burton has not said when his live-streamed readings will begin.
