Love, love, love the Little People, BIG DREAMS series and in this just published bio for kids, Dolly comes fully to life in the colorful illustrations and text. 5/5

Pub Date 04 Jun 2019.

Thanks to the author, Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Childrens Books, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#DollyParton #NetGalley

This was such a cute and lovely little book. I loved learning more about Dolly Parton's life and I love that it included her charity that gives books to kids alongside her singer career. The pictures are adorable and the story great for both kids and adults alike.

I was happy to read this book as one of my daughters was born on Dolly's birthday and my youngest daughter has always loved her. Our three youngest kids have been lucky enough to be enrolled in Dolly's nonprofit "Imagination Library" that mails free books to kids every month until age 5, and I was happy to see that this program was included in the book. That said, they got the order of some things in her life wrong, like it said she founded this program (which she did in '95) and then "went on" to open her amusement park, which she founded long before that in '86. I also wish it had focused more on her activism and her fun personality. Lastly, while it says she liked to wear a lot of makeup, the illustrations don't really show any makeup on her other than blush. They also pretty much hide another aspect that Dolly is famous for, her famous (or infamous) cleavage, which seems a little rude. If it's a book about Dolly Parton, let her look like Dolly Parton.

My rating system:
1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost

I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.

I love these short biographical books for kids, always puts a smile on my face. Dolly was one of my favourites of this series.

Ah, yes, another inspirational book in the Little People, Big Dreams series, this time about country music star Dolly Parton. It touches on the major points of her life, includes empowering quotes and lyrics, and the ways in which she has given back to society. I feel strongly that children should learn about the importance of having dreams and striving to achieve in life and that is the message the book gives out. Adults will enjoy reading this alongside youngsters and learning together makes it all the more fun. What Sanchez Vegara has done is match the optimum amount of text for young readers with the quirky illustrations; you can tell everything has been thought through and that makes this a pleasure to read. Whether you appreciate the drawings or not is dependent on personal preference.

The easy to follow, accessible information throughout is simple to understand. I particularly liked that it promoted the idea of never forgetting where you came from — your roots and family — no matter how successful and wealthy you become. Dolly, knowing the importance of reading and education, started an incredible project known as the Imagination Library, a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until they begin school, no matter their family’s income; I had no idea this existed but what a beautiful and thoughtful idea. This is the perfect introduction to the world of Dolly Parton and comes highly recommended. Many thanks to Quarto Publishing Group — Frances Lincoln Children's Books for an ARC.

Isabel Sanchez Vegara does it again, and this time with the support of illustrator, Daria Solak. One of the best series to come out of KidLit in the last few years is ‘Little People, BIG DREAMS.’ While most nonfiction books for children typically pick well know historical figures as their subjects, LPBD highlights Women, People of Color, Scientists, and Artists.

The newest title, and my very favorite so far, lets us discover and adore Dolly Parton. Even I, a long-time fan, learned a few things about her while reading, such as, her regular slot on a local radio station at the age of 10 or that her husband’s name is Carl. (How did I not already know that?)

This book truly shows its readers what an unstoppable force Dolly is. Her kindness shines through in everything she does, whether it’s the work she does for her own community, or providing books for children all over the world, or showing us all how to be happy with yourself, just as you are.

Dolly Parton is a true role model. So THANK YOU Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Daria Solak, & Frances Lincoln for telling the children her story.

Thank You to Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Children's Books & NetGalley for the digital copy of this book to review.

I enjoy reading these Little people BIG DREAM books. They give just enough information about the person for a child to absorb / regurgitate. The illustrations that accompany these are soft, child-like drawings that go along with the "little people" aspect of this series.

I'm a huge fan of Dolly Parton and absolutely adored this book! It's fun, bright and really accessible to little ones. I've seen a few of the books in this series and they aim to teach children about iconic people. Dolly is a wonderful person who grew up 'poor as dirt' but worked hard to achieve what she has and now gives back to people in need. She's a fantastic role model and the perfect choice for this series. I'm definitely going to be buying this for some children I know!

A primer to all that is Dolly Parton, from her recording and private lives up to her entrepreneurial skills and outfits. This would certainly go down in America, where the lady is clearly more of a role model than, say, here in Britain. Here we consider her a success, but see one or two (well, let's be blunt – definitely two) things that kind of prevent us taking her seriously. As a result, and as a result of this book's brevity, it kind of reads like a hagiography; "unsurprisingly, she went on to become a superstar" – well, of course she did. I can't say I took to the artwork, either, which uses the colouring-in-with-felt-pen style as a virtue. But this series as a whole is fine, and shows that success can come about in any way, shape or fashion, from any source. This individual book didn't quite sell the virtues of its topic to me in a convincing fashion.

La storia di una bambina che aveva due tesori: una voce incantevole a un cuore grande, che l'hanno portata da una cittadina del Tennessee, dove viveva con la sua numerosa famiglia,a diventare un'icona country e una delle imprenditrici musicali più famose al mondo.

Dolly ha dieci anni quando inizia a cantare alla radio, ma da sempre compone sulla sua chitarra e canta, sognando la fama.

E il suo talento ben presto la fa emergere, portandola a cinquant'anni di successi e a ricambiare il pubblico che la ama con iniziative di beneficenza, sopratutto a favore dei più piccoli, da sempre suoi fan.

Una storia di talento e generosità, illustrata con semplicità ed efficacia.

What a fun, informative book. I have followed Dolly since the 60s and figured I knew a lot about her. I was wrong.

This book begins with Dolly and her eleven siblings. It progresses throughout her life discussing her musical and business success.

I loved the writing and illustrations. It is written in a clear but informative manner. It is perfect for a young reader. Some of the words are difficult but with an adult, the child should be successful in pronouncing them.

The illustrations are colorful and fun. The accompanying pictures are made with markers and are realistic without being photographic. They appear to have been drawn by a child (this may not be true, but the concept is there). I just love the happy expressions and detailed backgrounds.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Dolly, likes country music or want to just have a fun read.


I received an ARC from Quartz Publishing through a wish on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.

This is a brilliant addition to the Big Dreams collection. It’s the perfect biography for anyone to be be inspired by. Not only does it give a strong message for young girls to dream big, but gives a strong idea of being true to one’s self when it comes to body image.

The Little People, Big Dreams series has become a favorite over the last year; I've enjoyed reading each title with my five-year-old daughter!

The spotlight in the latest release is on country music legend Dolly Parton. Young readers are given bold and bright illustrations with simple sentences to briefly share the highlights of Dolly's life, from her musical aspirations during childhood in a big family in the Smokies to her dreams coming true in Nashville; first with Porter Wagoner and then as a solo artist. After becoming a wildly successful country artist, Dolly set out on more adventures as a crossover musician and as a savvy businesswoman. She even started a special library for children across the U.S. and now several other countries also participate.

Another fantastic book in the series and a great introduction to Dolly Parton whose music and kindness are both legendary!

Thanks to Frances Lincoln Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Little People, Big Dreams: Dolly Parton is now available at your favorite bookstore or library.

My 5 year old and I love this series and this book is no exception! I feel that it gives you just the right amount of information to keep a younger elementary aged child engaged and the pictures are so cute!

Lovely writing and all paired well with images. These books would make great additions to a personal, classroom, or school library. Engaging biographies with a visual element!

This book is a new entry in the wonderful Little People,Big Dreams series. It tells the story of Dolly Parton, a young girl who wanted to sing. Dolly grew up in a large family with ten sisters and brothers. An uncle helped her to get her start in music.

Young readers will learn about Dolly's passion for country music, her evolution to pop, her entrepreneurial spirit and her desire to give back. All in all, an inspiring story. The delightful illustrations add a spirit of happiness to the narrative.

As always, there is a timeline with photographs at the end of the book. There are additional facts about Ms. Parton there.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto for this e galley in exchange for an honest review. I always look forward to new entries in this series. They make for inspirational reads and should be on school and library shelves.

Thank you #netgalley for giving me a copy of #DollyParton to review. I love these little biographies. Making information about inspirational people accessible to young children is always a plus. There are not too many books like this about Dolly Parton so this was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed reading about her and my kids did too. The pictures were cute. A good addition to a biography section.

Another great addiction to this wonderful series.

I was not very familiar with the story of Dolly: for example I didn’t know she has multiple businesses, a radio station and that she sends books to children to all over the world.

Great illustrations and useful fact sheet with the key facts of the life of Dolly at the very back.
A great way to introduce famous and important people to the little ones.

I absolutely love this series of books and as a huge Dolly Parton fan - this was was a real highlight!

I enjoy sharing these books with my class, they find them so inspiring, I can't wait to see who else they cover.

This is such a cool series. I love how each one has little factoids about the people being written about.

This one, on Dolly Parton has info I was unaware of, such as how she had a radio show before she went to Nashville.

<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/dolly-parton.png" alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5219" />

As always, these are excellent ways to introduce kids to famous people, as a stepping stone. And it is also cool that at the end of each picture book, it has a more detailed timeline with information about the person in each book.

Thanks to Netgallekyk for making this book available for an honest review.