Each Child. Every Community.

A child’s early years are critical for language development, and Smart Start plays a vital role in promoting literacy from the start. This support starts at home and literacy development and promotion is a critical part of supporting families.

Smart Start supports a range of programs aimed at building the skills children need for success in school and life. Programs like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Raising a Reader, Motheread/Fatheread, and Book Babies foster language-rich interactions, enhance reading frequency, and strengthen relationships between children and their families.

• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides a free, age appropriate book each month to children age birth to 5. Read more at Smart Solutions. 
• Raising a Reader helps families develop, practice, and maintain shared reading routines critical to early learning success. Through this program, children receive a Red Book Bag each week filled with high quality, culturally responsive books to take home.  Read more at Smart Solutions. 
• Motheread/Fatheread combines the teaching of parent literacy skills with child development and family support. Read more at Smart Solutions. 
• Book Babies equips parents/caregivers with a home library from birth and ensures their access to the tools and support needed to advocate for their children when they transition to Pre-K, kindergarten, and beyond. Read more at Smart Solutions.