Dolly Parton shared a final message to children who graduate from her Imagination Library program.

The heartfelt letter has resurfaced following the beloved country icon’s death on August 25. Parton “died peacefully” and “surrounded by loved ones” at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee. She passed away after “bravely facing a brief battle with cancer,” her representatives confirmed. She was 80. Parton was laid to rest beside her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean.

Parton is remembered as “a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author,” according to the official announcement issued on August 25. One of Parton’s most well-known efforts is her Imagination Library program, which began in 1995 as a local initiative in Sevier County, Tennessee, and has since expanded to a global organization. Imagination Library is a program that’s entirely free to families, regardless of household income, and provides books to children from birth until 5 years old. Parton’s Imagination Library has gifted more than 330 million books to children around the world.

Parton included a sweet letter to each Imagination Library reader with their final book provided by the program. The Washington Post writer Hannah Sampson shared the letter her daughter received when she turned 5 last year. Sampson said it “wrecked me” when her daughter initially received it, and she’s “tearing up again reading it now.”

“Dear Imagination Library Graduate,” Parton addressed the letter. “My, how time flies. It seems it was only yesterday when your family and friends read you your first story. You were just a baby. Now you’re five years old and about to go to school. How exciting!

“This may be your last book from my Imagination Library but you have to promise me you will keep on reading,” Parton continued. “If you go to your local public library you will find a great number of books just for kids your age. Every book is a treasure and every time you open one up you will meet new friends and take wonderful journeys to magical places.

“I hope you have a great time in school,” Parton said. “I bet your school will even have a library where you can check out books. You and all of your friends are very special. There is no limit to what you can do or how far you can go. Just remember the lessons my family taught me — dream big dreams; learn everything you can learn; and care for all those who care for you. You do all of these things and you can be anyone you want to be.”

Parton signed the letter, “you are terrific, and remember… I Will Always Love You, Dolly.”

Parton also shared her message with Imagination Library graduates in a video, which she signed off as “the book lady.” In a 2019 interview with TODAY, Parton told Jenna Bush Hager that she was proud of her “book lady” title. The Country Music Hall of Fame member was inspired to start the Imagination Library because of her father, who hadn’t learned to read or write. Parton told Bush Hager, “Daddy got to live long enough to hear the kids call me ‘the book lady.’ And he was as proud of that as me being a star. And that meant so much to him. And so I felt like I brought honor to my dad through that.”

The official announcement issued on August 25 stated that “Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years Carl Thomas Dean (1942 – 2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923 – 2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921 – 2000). …At Dolly’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family. Dolly’s fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.”