RNIB Library
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Our Children's Librarian can help you find the books you want to read and suggest others you might never have thought of trying. Send an email to childrenslibrarian@rnib.org.uk or call 0161 355 2061
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You can search our library catalogue
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We also have book lists for children on different themes
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We don't have books for the very youngest children (ages up to 4 years) but you can get these from ClearVision or your local library can help
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We send all our young readers a birthday book up to the age of 12 so that you can build up a collection of favourites to keep at home. Each year on your birthday, you will receive a book token and a list of books to choose from in giant print, braille or audio.
Booktouch
Booktouch from Bookstart aims to get blind and partially sighted babies and toddlers 'bookstarted.'
A Booktouch pack is available free to parents or carers of blind or partially sighted children up to (and including) the age of four. There are approximately 800 babies born each year who would be eligible for a Booktouch pack.
These packs contain two specially chosen touch and feel books and include:
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A Good quality cotton shoulder bag
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A leaflet with advice about reading with blind and partially sighted children
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A list of recommended books
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A leaflet listing useful services related to reading.
Packs can be accessed via Local Authorities or by asking your Health Visitor about them.
Shared reading books
These are standard print books that have been adapted to include braille on clear interleaved sheets or on clear labels which have been stuck to the pages of the book. This allows the pictures and print story to be read underneath, enabling shared reading between sighted and blind readers, such as parent and child, teacher and child, friends. Visit the shared reading books section of our online shop for a full list of available titles.
The Tactus Award
The Tactus Award aims to encourage excellence and the sharing of ideas, resources and expertise in the creation of tactile books for blind and partially sighted children. It is also a way of providing much-needed, high quality tactile books for distribution around the EU. There are eight participating countries: UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Poland and Germany.
Accessible image books
This range of books containing accessible images have been designed to support and encourage the early stages of tactile graphic literacy development and enjoyment. Each book contains coloured clear print and tactile black and white images, as well as accompanying supportive descriptions in 24-point print and grade 2 braille. These descriptions encourage the user to read the image in a structured and logical manner and, if required, enable sighted assistants to support them.
Specialist services
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Calibre Audio Library has a wide choice of full-length books for children and young people available to borrow - telephone 01296 43 23 39.
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Cue and Review provides national magazines on tape, including five teenage titles with an emphasis on music. Telephone 0141 563 0306.
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Talking Newspapers Association produces a few titles for primary age children and young teenagers, on subscription. Telephone 01435 86 61 02.
RNIB Talking Book Service
Find full length children's books. Subscription includes all the Talking Books you read throughout the year. There are two subscription options:
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Full loan annual subscription - this includes the loan of a Plextalk PTX1 DAISY player and costs £79
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Books only annual subscription - this costs £50. You don't get a player with this subscription.
Find out more about joining the library and how the Talking Books service works.
Touch reading
Clear Vision
Lends tactile books and dual format braille/print and Moon/print books for adults and children to share reading. Titles are suitable for pre-school children and children learning to read - telephone 020 8789 9575.
National Library for the Blind
Braille and Moon books, a large collection of two-way (braille and print) books and sheet music, to borrow or to buy, for children and young people who are fluent readers. Telephone 0161 355 2999.
Living Paintings Trust
Living Paintings is a unique national charity that helps blind and partially sighted adults and children by offering a free library service. By providing pictures that can be 'felt' with audio commentary, Living Paintings enables people who cannot see to enjoy a wide range of visual treats, be they popular children's books, science, history, famous works of art, the natural world, city tours, gardens, topical themes or great buildings. Membership is free - every item in this charity's library is loaned and posted for free.
Bag Books
Bag Books publishes multi-sensory stories for people with profound learning disabilities. The sensory contents invite interaction and the story line encourages the teller to use exaggerated voice tones and timing. The stories are for learning and leisure and are fun for both listener and teller. The children's stories are are suitable for blind and partially sighted young children.
Story Sacks
A story sack is a large cloth bag which contains a story book and various props to bring the story to life. They have been developed for use in all childcare settings, but can be particularly useful in animating a story for a child who cannot see the pictures in the book.
A typical story sack might contain:
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Story book (could be in large print or braille for children of reading age, see Children's books for further details.)
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Toys relating to the story. For example, a story sack for Noah's Ark might contain various animals.
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A cassette with the story taped on to it so children can follow in their own time, or act out the story.
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For further information about making story sacks, contact Bag Books who sell tactile/multi-sensory story packs designed for children and young people with severe and multiple disabilities, including sight loss. Telephone 020 7385 4021.
Large print books
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AccessBooks has a range of publications available electronically or in large print. Particularly useful for set-texts and study books. Telephone 01379 85 48 48 or RNIB Customer Services on 0845 702 3153 for further information.
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National Blind Children's Society sells large print titles in a range of print sizes. Telephone 01278 76 47 52.
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Big Print is a large print weekly newspaper, available on subscription. Telephone 0303 123 9999.
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RNIB Helpline has a small range of reference books for sale. Telephone 0303 123 9999 or email helpline@rnib.org.uk