APH/Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Audio Books

Playback Requirements

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Audio Books provided by APH are encrypted and can only be played using free playback equipment loaned to eligible individuals through the National Library Service (NLS) Talking Book program. A family will first need to register their child with NLS and receive an NLS digital playback device. Then they are set to download and playback the encrypted DPIL audio book files.

Playback Instructions

Follow the steps below to playback an APH/DPIL Audio book using an NLS Digital Talking Book Player.

Connect a USB drive to your computer, such as a blank NLS digital Talking Book cartridge or a commercial flash drive.
In the “Book Downloads” section on this page, browse the available books by month and activate the download link for the book title you wish to playback.
Depending on your browser, you may see a dialog box that asks what you would like to do with the file. Choose “Save.” The file you are saving is a “zipped” file, meaning it contains several files inside it. Select the location to save the zipped file—either to your computer’s internal hard drive or to the external USB drive that you connected in step #1.
If the downloaded zipped file did not unzip automatically, unzip it now. Windows and macOS both have the built-in ability to unzip files. The unzipped file will create a folder containing all of the files needed to play the book.
If you downloaded the files to your internal hard drive, copy the unzipped folder to the external USB flash drive or NLS cartridge. Note: the book will not play unless ALL of the files are present on the flash drive or cartridge.
Follow instructions provided with your NLS digital player to listen to the audio book.

Book Downloads

How to Get Your Octopus to School

By Becky Scharnhorst

Illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett

Getting your octopus to school won’t be easy. He would much rather stay home with you and play hide-and-seek or dress-up. But you know your octopus will love school if he gives it a chance. And you’ll tell him that . . . as soon as you can find him . . .

Download How to Get Your Octopus to School Audio Book

Pup and Bear

By Kate Banks

Illustrated by Naoko Stoop

Here is a picture book that celebrates differences and promotes kindness , sure to resonate with the many fans of the beloved classic, Mama Do You Love Me? During the ice melt that follows an Arctic winter, a wolf cub finds himself spinning out to sea on a sheet of ice. He awakes lost and alone to an unfamiliar smell: a polar bear. And while the polar bear is not the wolf’s mother, she takes him on her back to her den, where she feeds him, keeps him warm, and does everything a mother would do. Time passes, the cub grows into a wolf, and soon it’s time for him to venture out into the wide world alone. Years later, the now grown wolf comes upon a tiny lost polar bear cub–and the cycle begins again. With poetic prose this beautiful picture book about the love and kindness of a stranger is sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with parents and children who have found each other in unexpected ways.

Download Pup and Bear Audio Book

Download Pup and Bear Audio Book Spanish Version (El lobito y la osa)
Who Says Quack?

By Grosset & Dunlap

Who says quack? Not a hen, or a pig, or a cow—or a host of other noisy animals. They cluck, oink, moo, and more—and children can guess the sound each one makes as they turn the pages of this fun and sturdy photographic book.

Download Who Says Quack? Audio Book

My Dog Laughs

By Rachel Isadora

Dogs are amazing! Dogs are a lot of work! And here is the perfect book to help a child understand what is involved in living with one. Lively illustrations show a variety of children learning what makes their dog tick, as they train them, care for them, and play with them. But most of all, it celebrates the fact that dogs are truly awesome companions–who are always happy to see you, and who can even sing, laugh and dream with you!

Download My Dog Laughs Audio Book

Cotton Candy Clouds

By Sara D. Moore

Illustrated By Shirley Harve

A bespectacled little gray rabbit fancies that if it could touch the wispy, cotton candy–colored clouds illuminating the morning sky, they would feel like a cuddly, fluffy teddy bear. They would smell like fresh-washed laundry and be bouncy like a trampoline. The clouds would be so yummy to eat—like fruit “sprinkled with sugar,” the animal thinks—that while you danced on them, you could scoop up a taste to share with friends.

Download Cotton Candy Clouds Audio Book
The Power of Yeti

By Rebecca Van Slyke

Illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Some days it seems like everybody is bigger, stronger, and faster than you, and that has one little boy feeling blue. Fortunately, a surprising someone steps in to help–a big, hairy Yeti–along with some very impressive relatives: Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and the Abominable Snow Monster! But it is Yeti who claims to be the most powerful one in his family, all because of . . . the POWER OF YETI! This is the power that comes with knowing you can succeed, but it will take time and effort. And thanks to Yeti’s words of encouragement, the boy starts looking at things in a new light. He doesn’t know how to tie his shoelaces . . . YETi! And he’s not great at making soccer goals . . . YETi! He might not be the biggest, strongest, or fastest kid on the playground, but it turns out he’s still pretty powerful and full of potential–all because of the power of YETi.

Download The Power of Yeti Audio Book

Spend It!

By Cinders McLeod

Sonny gets three whole carrots a week for his allowance and wants to buy everything! But he quickly discovers his money won’t go that far, and he has to make some choices. That doesn’t sound like much fun to Sonny, especially when he learns that the bouncy castle he’s been eyeing goes for ONE HUNDRED carrots. Ridiculous! But eventually, after a little math and a little more thinking, he has a blast discovering what’s really important to him and worth spending his carrots on.

Download Spend It! Audio Book

Download Spend It! Audio Book Spanish Version (Gastalo!)
The Big Slide

By Daniel Kirk

Little Pup isn’t as little as he used to be, and he’d love to try out the playground’s big slide. Day after day he eyes it, but he just can’t seem to work up the courage. Fortunately he meets someone in the same boat–Little Duck–and the two provide each other with just the bravery boost needed to climb that ladder and enjoy the slide! Kids will relate to Little Pup’s struggle to gain enough confidence to move out of his comfort zone and try something new.

Download The Big Slide Audio Book

Somewhere, Right Now

By Kerry Docherty

Illustrated by Suzie Mason

When Alma is experiencing the lows of unexpected disappointment, her mom offers her the wise advice that she just might feel better if she closes her eyes and pictures something beautiful that’s happening in nature.

Download Somewhere, Right Now Audio Book
Danbi’s Favorite Day

By Anna Kim

Thrilled to invite her friends to celebrate Children’s Day as she did in Korea, she promises kites, tigers, and magic train rides. But when the reality of a picnic behind her parents’ deli falls short of her grand plans, Danbi must get creative to save the day.

Download Danbi’s Favorite Day Audio Book

Old Rock (is not boring)

By Deb Pilutti

Old Rock has been sitting in the same spot in the pine forest for as long as anyone can remember. Spotted Beetle, Tall Pine, and Hummingbird think just sitting there must be boring, but they are in for a wonderful surprise.

Download Old Rock (is not boring) Audio Book

Download Old Rock (is not boring) Audio Book Spanish Version (Piedra Vieja)
Ice Cream Face

By Heidi Woodward Sheffield

As far as this ice-cream-loving kid is concerned, every meal should include ice cream. In any form, in every flavor, he loves it all. But what he doesn’t love is seeing other people with ice cream . . . while he’s still waiting in line for his. That’s when he can get his mad, “no-ice-cream-yet, waiting-in-a-long-line face”–until he finally gets his cone, and his mad face melts into something sweet. Heidi Woodward Sheffield gently explores a range of emotions as they relate to this delicious, everyday experience.

Download Ice Cream Face Audio Book
You Are a Honey Bee!

By Laurie Ann Thompson

Illustrated by Jay Fleck

Swish, swoosh, fly! You might have heard the words “busy as a bee,” but what do bees actually do each day? Did you know bees clean their rooms, help feed baby bees, and build the hive they live in? From birth to first flight and beyond, discover all that goes into being a bee in this charming picture book, the first in the Meet Your World series.

Download You Are a Honey Bee! Audio Book

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

By Jan Brett

Everybody loves the story of the curious little girl named Goldilocks, who made herself quite at home in the house of the three bears. Jan Brett’s lavish illustrations for this classic tale, full of details and surprises, gives this edition a special flair. Children will marvel at the enchanted world created herein.

Download Goldilocks and the Three Bears Audio Book
The Rabbit Listened

By Cori Doerrfeld

When something sad happens, Taylor doesn’t know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn’t feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that’s not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to act, and one by one they fail to offer comfort. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen . . . which is just what Taylor needs.

Download The Rabbit Listened Audio Book

Coat of Many Colors

By Dolly Parton

Illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes

Country music legend Dolly Parton’s rural upbringing in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee provides the backdrop for this special picture book. Using lyrics from her classic song “Coat of Many Colors,” the book tells the story of a young girl in need of a warm winter coat. When her mother sews her a coat made of rags, the girl is mocked by classmates for being poor. But Parton’s trademark positivity carries through to the end as the girl realizes that her coat was made with love “in every stitch.” Beautiful illustrations pair with Parton’s poetic lyrics in this heartfelt picture book sure to speak to all young readers.

Download Coat of Many Colors Audio Book

Download Coat of Many Colors (Spanish Version) Audio Book
A Gift for Nana

By Lane Smith

A thoughtful little Rabbit sets out to find the perfect gift for his Nana. He knows she will love anything he brings her but Rabbit wants this gift to be extra special. As he travels on his quest, Rabbit encounters an assortment of creatures-a crow, a smiling full moon, a stickler (whatever that is), a big fish, and a volcano. Each is certain they offer the best advice but nothing they suggest seems right for his Nana. It’s not until Rabbit reaches the highest peak, that he finds exactly what he’s been searching for.

Download A Gift for Nana Audio Book

Carpenter’s Helper

By Sybil Rosen

Illustrated by Camille Garoche

Join a girl as she helps a mama and papa bird build a nest in her bathroom, hatch their eggs, and teach their babies to fly away.
Renata and her Papi are hard at work at renovating their bathroom. Renata can’t wait to build castles of bubbles in the deep, old-fashioned bathtub. But one morning, she finds dried leaves and pine needles heaped on a shelf in the corner. How did they get there? She soon realizes that a bird has built a nest on the shelf, and inside it are four rosy eggs! Weeks pass, and Renata watches as the wrens come and go, building a home in her bathroom… until, one day, with a little help from Renata, the birds are ready to fly.

Download Carpenter’s Helper Audio Book
Good Morning, Farm Friends

By Annie Bach

As the sun rises, the animals on a bustling farm get ready for the day. Pigs roll around in the mud, cows wait at the milking stall, and horses run through pastures. But is everyone awake? The rooster will make sure of it! The fun rhyming text and colorful illustrations in this delightful book will help little ones start their day off just right.

Download Good Morning, Farm Friends Audio Book
The Snowy Day

By Ezra Jack Keats

In 1962, a little boy named Peter put on his snowsuit and stepped out of his house and into the hearts of millions of readers. Universal in its appeal, this story beautifully depicts a child’s wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. The quiet fun and sweetness of Peter’s small adventures in the deep, deep snow is perfect for reading together on a cozy winter day.

Download The Snowy Day Audio Book

Ten Ways to Hear Snow

By Cathy Camper

Illustrated by Kenard Pak

One winter morning, Lina wakes up to silence. It’s the sound of snow — the kind that looks soft and glows bright in the winter sun. But as she walks to her grandmother’s house to help make the family recipe for warak enab, she continues to listen. As Lina walks past snowmen and across icy sidewalks, she discovers ten ways to pay attention to what might have otherwise gone unnoticed.

Download Ten Ways to Hear Snow Audio Book
Sleep Tight, Polar Bear (Little Loves)

By Sabrina Gibson

These adorable board books follow a group of fuzzy polar families as parents guide their babies through daily arctic life, from waking up in the morning to saying good night. In Sleep Tight, Polar Bear, readers will see seal pups dozing while narwhals count fish instead of sheep as they drift off to sleep.

Download Sleep Tight, Polar Bear Audio Book
Rabbit’s Snow Dance

By Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac

Illustrated by Jeff Newman

Rabbit loves the winter. He knows a dance, using an Iroquois drum and song, to make it snow—even in summertime! When rabbit decides that it should snow early, he starts his dance and the snow begins to fall. The other forest animals are not happy and ask him to stop, but Rabbit doesn’t listen. How much snow is too much, and will Rabbit know when to stop?

Download Rabbit’s Snow Dance Audio Book

Grandpa and Jake

Written and Illustrated By Julie Fortenberry

“Let’s turn the TV off,” says Grandpa to Jake. “There’s some place I’d like to show you… a place my Grandpa took me when I was your age.” As the two of them walk through the busy town, Grandpa shares the favorite places he and his own grandpa went together . . . and Little Jake keeps guessing where they are going. The movies? The baseball park? The beach? “Not this time,” says Grandpa, and has Jake close his eyes before going into . . . the library!

Download Grandpa and Jake Audio Book