MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) — Local families will soon have the chance to dine with iconic literary figures as the United Way of South Central Tennessee prepares for its seventh annual Storybook Breakfast. Scheduled for Saturday, March 7, the event will take place at Overall Creek Elementary School, with MMC Pediatrics serving as the presenting sponsor.

The morning is designed to be an immersive experience for young readers, offering three separate attendance windows at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 11 a.m.. Attendees can expect a full breakfast, hands-on craft stations, and dedicated story sessions. A diverse lineup of costumed characters—including Bluey, Bingo, Pete the Cat, and Llama Llama—will be present for photos and interaction.

Beyond the morning's festivities, the event serves a critical role in funding regional education. Proceeds directly support the local branch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that delivers monthly books to roughly 17,000 children across Rutherford and Cannon counties. While the books are provided to families at no cost, the United Way is responsible for covering the local expenses associated with purchasing and shipping the titles.

The importance of this initiative was recently underscored by a 2025 global study from Macquarie University. Researchers found that children participating in the Imagination Library program displayed superior expressive vocabularies and higher levels of engagement during reading time compared to their peers.

"When books are accessible in the home and shared consistently with adults, we see a measurable rise in a child's literacy and self-esteem," noted Kristen Swann, President and CEO of the United Way of South Central Tennessee. Swann emphasized that community investment ensures these resources remain available to every child in the area, regardless of their financial background.

Admission is set at $15 per individual, with a cap of $60 for entire households. Those interested in attending or supporting the literacy drive can find registration details on the United Way of South Central Tennessee website.