When I first found out that a series of braille books for children was being published by a big name in the publishing industry, I thought it was too good to be true. A print publisher delving into the world of braille? And for kids? Believe it or not, it’s not too good to be true!
DK Braille is a series of five books that features braille and large print text with tactile illustrations. The inclusion of both braille and large print allows for a reading experience that can be enjoyed by sighted and blind children alike.
Three titles in the series are well-suited for advancing readers: Animals, It Can’t Be True, and On the Move. Easily the most interesting reference books for children that I’ve come across (for all children, not just visually impaired and blind children), these contain lesser-known facts and cool tidbits on a variety of topics. Did you know that 1,320 Earths could fit inside Jupiter?!
I knew that I loved this series as soon as I got my hands on the five different titles, so I jumped at the first chance to share them with a group of kids that presented itself. A co-worker and I took several copies of Counting, one of the two titles in the series that is well-suited for early learners, to our monthly preschool storytime at a local school. Each of the students got their very own copy of the book so that we could read it as a group, feeling the braille, distinguishing between the velvety flowers on page 7 and the veinous leaves on page 8, and counting, of course! A pre-braille reader and a pre-large print reader sat side by side and enjoyed the same book together, which is a rare and really special thing. What I discovered while reading Counting with this class was that multiple entry points to accessing the information in these books exist, making them perfect for learners of all abilities.
Check out the five books in the DK Braille series today!
Counting Explores numbers and counting with rhythmic text and tactile representations of things you might experience on a rainy day. The nine sticky worms on page 9 are sure to be a hit! Well-suited for early learners.
Shapes Explores shapes with die-cuts and tactile illustrations. Well-suited for early learners.
On the Move: Knowledge You Can Touch Tactile reference book with entries of different modes of transportation. Well-suited for advancing learners.
Animals: Knowledge You Can Touch Tactile reference book with entries on all kinds of animals, from bears and big cats to birds and bugs. Well-suited for advancing learners.
It Can’t Be True!: Incredible Tactile Comparisons Tactile reference book with facts about subjects ranging from animals and the human body to architecture and outer space. Well-suited for advancing readers.