Parents' Guide to

Goodnight with Dolly

By Jenny Nixon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 2+

Country legend Dolly Parton reads comforting storybooks.

TV YouTube Educational 2020
Goodnight with Dolly Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • Goodnight With Dolly TV Show: Scene 1
  • Goodnight With Dolly TV Show: Scene 2
  • Goodnight With Dolly TV Show: Scene 3

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What's the Story?

GOODNIGHT WITH DOLLY is a short-but-sweet web series featuring a pajama-clad Dolly Parton reading a children's book aloud from the comfort of her fluffy bed. As she turns the pages and narrates, the artwork and text are shown onscreen so kids can follow along. The books -- which include Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney, Pass it On by Sophy Henn, and Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña -- were specifically chosen in hopes of providing a sense of comfort to kids during the COVID-19 quarantine. She ends each episode with a few bars of singing that echo the themes of whatever book she's just read, then sends viewers off with a cute goodnight message. Some episodes also feature a few minutes of talking with the authors.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2 ):

Hearing a story read aloud is always a comforting feeling, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a narrator with a more mellifluous or charming voice than beloved country musician Dolly Parton. The woman is a national treasure, and her Goodnight with Dolly series has those famously sing-song tones in full effect -- yet wisely puts each book's colorful artwork front and center for sleepy kiddos to appreciate. After the book wraps up, Dolly talks a little about the meaning behind the story and how these themes are reflected in our daily lives. Her loving granny vibes and the positive messages conveyed in the stories makes this a great bet for families looking for something different to add to their bedtime routines.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about their favorite books from the Goodnight with Dolly series. Which titles stood out to you and why?

  • What kind of differences do you notice between watching a story and listening to a story with no pictures? Do the images you see onscreen match the ones in your head?

  • Talk to kids about what lessons they learned from the books Dolly read. Are there any books in their own collection that have similar themes?

TV Details

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