Announcement
Free Braille Books from NBP!
Sign up to get free braille books for children in the United States and Canada!
Get the new school year off to a great start with these free braille books from National Braille Press!
ReadBooks! is a national children’s braille literacy program encouraging families with blind children to read print/braille books together.
National Braille Press is distributing attractive braille book bags to families with blind and visually impaired children, ages birth to seven, across the U.S. and Canada. The distribution process is a collaborative effort with educators and early intervention professionals.
Note: Limited to one braille book bag per blind child.
Program Objectives
- To foster a love of books and reading at an early age;
- To support families of preschool blind children and help them spread the word that braille is an effective method of reading and writing;
- To introduce visually impaired children to a means of independent reading;
- To help parents learn “just enough” braille to assist their child as they grow;
- To give parents the knowledge and language they need to advocate for braille instruction when their blind child enters school;
- To promote an early expectation of personal achievement through literacy.
Braille Bags Contain:
- Braille Book Bags
- An age-appropriate print/braille book for three age groups: birth-3, 4-5, and 6-7 in English or Spanish;
- An order form for a free braille primer for sighted parents entitled Just Enough to Know Better;
- A tactile ball (red bags only);
- Print/braille alphabet card;
- Because Books Matter, a guide for parents on why and how to read books with their young blind child;
- A tactile graphic or flag;
- Wikki Stix, a product that allows a child to make tactile pictures (blue or green bags only);
- A gift coupon redeemable for another print/braille book or braille/large print playing cards;
- Tactile Alphabet Letter sheets, showing upper- and lowercase print letters in raised-line format (blue bags only), and Tactile Number sheets (green bags only);
- A Braille Caravan block.
Who Can Participate?
- Anyone who knows, works with, or cares for a blind child, aged birth to seven, in the United States or Canada can participate in the program.
- Parents or caregivers can find more information here.
- Teachers or agency professionals can find more information here.