One great benefit of living in the US is the importance our country puts on literacy as demonstrated by public libraries, subscriptions, clubs, Dolly Parton’s amazing book program, and more. As a homeschooling mom, I understand the importance of books and how the costs add up. As a mother of a vision impaired child, I understand the value of having braille books. Thankfully, there are lots of resources for childrens braille books too.
Braille resources can come from many places including your local library, but if you’re like me (or your children are like mine) borrowing stresses me out. My kids are rough on everything and even when you’re careful mistakes happen. Given my aversion to borrowing, I have sought out books that come with braille or I ask our TVI to braille them for us. I’ve found the following resources for brailled books and I highly recommend you check them out!
Free Braille Books
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
The Braille Reading Pals Club introduces young blind children and their families to literacy through Braille. The program fosters positive attitudes about Braille and helps sighted family members promote a love of reading through the shared reading of print/Braille books with their blind children. This program is designed for blind and low-vision children ages birth through eight years old.
ReadBooks! from National Braille Press (NBP)
National Braille Press is distributing free bags of beginning braille materials 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.
National Braille Press Sponsered Childrens Book Club
Welcome to the only Children’s Braille Book Club featuring a new print/braille book every month!
American Action Fun Free Braille Books Program
The Braille Books Program provides blind children a free Braille book every month from a popular children’s reading series.
American Action Fun For the Blind Share Braille
ShareBraille.org lets you share Braille books all year long. You can continually send and receive Braille books, keeping them in circulation for years to come.
Braille Institute
Multi-sensory storybook kits for preschoolers, 2 to 5 years old. Each includes a picture book with uncontracted braille overlays and manipulatives that represent the characters or concepts of the story.
Seedlings Book Angel Program
This program was originally called “Anna’s Book Angel Project” and was named in memory of our Director’s 19-year-old daughter who was killed by a drunk driver in 2001. Each year, blind children who were registered received a free book in Anna’s name. Thanks to Seedlings’ generous donors, children with vision loss who live in the U.S. can receive four free braille books per year!
National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled
National Library Service (NLS) is a free braille and talking book library service for people with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, or a physical, perceptual, or reading disability that prevents them from using regular print materials. Through a national network of cooperating libraries, NLS circulates books and magazines in braille or audio formats, that are instantly downloadable to a personal device or delivered by mail free of charge.
Buying Braille Books
National Braille Press Childrens Book Club Membership
We offer a new print-braille children’s book every month for preschool through third grade. The same children’s picture book you buy at any store is enriched with the identical text in braille embossed on transparent plastic sheets. Prices range from $4.95 – $16.99.
National Braille Press Bumpy Basics
Babies are first introduced to words on board books — sturdy picture books with simple text. These board books are a combination of print and braille — the same books that sighted children read, but adapted with braille labels. Sighted parents read to their blind toddler, teach them about books, and encourage them to find the braille bumps. These experiences are an important first step to becoming literate, but also give children the chance to expand their imaginations and giggle a little along the way.
Seedlings
Seedlings’ books are ALWAYS on sale. Thanks to our volunteers and donors,we offer our books for a fraction of what it costs to make them!
Tactile Graphics I Read With My Hands
All tactile books on this website can be made in either English, French or Italian. All tactile books on this website have large bold print for low vision readers, as well as uncontracted Grade 1 braille for beginner Braille readers.
Braille Bookstore Future Aids
