To celebrate World Book Day on Thursday (5 March), the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is giving away thousands of books in braille and audio formats for children with vision impairment across London.
The selection of 13 titles aims to support World Book Day’s mission to give every child and young person a book of their own.
Nine-year-old Fred Howe from York has an eye condition called familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR). It causes progressive vision loss and affects the retina, the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye. He is a keen reader and regularly downloads Talking Books from RNIB’s online library. He has chosen Kid Normal from the list of titles RNIB has made accessible to celebrate World Book Day.
Fred said: “I love reading, books can take me anywhere in my imagination and I have so many adventures listening to my books! RNIB’s library of Talking Books is amazing because there are so many titles and no end to the places I can go.”
Organised by UNESCO, World Book Day is marked in more than 100 countries around the world, with 2020 being the 23rd year of celebrations.
World Book Day organisers are encouraging parents, children and young people of all ages to spend at least 10 minutes a day sharing a book together and celebrate reading for pleasure, helping to promote wellbeing for everyone.
James Bartlett, RNIB Library and Newsagent Manager, said: “We are delighted to support this year’s World Book Day, which is such a great way of encouraging children to read. The braille and audio versions of books that RNIB has created ensure that blind and partially sighted children can discover these stories just like any other child and share in the excitement this World Book Day.”
To claim a free book in braille or audio (Daisy CD) format, call RNIB’s helpline on 0303 123 9999 or email [email protected]. The books will be available for free until 31 March 2020.
The titles available are:
Bing’s Splashy Story
Supertato: Books Are Rubbish! by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
Evie in the Jungle by Matt Haig
Amelia Fang and the Bookworm Gang by Laura Ellen Anderson
The Day We Met the Queen by Onjali Q. Raúf
The Case of the Drowned Pearl by Robin Stevens
Kid Normal and the Loudest Library by Chris Smith and Greg James
My Awesome Guide to Getting Good at Stuff by Matthew Syed
Alex Rider Undercover: The Classified Files by Anthony Horowitz
Split by Muhammad Khan
The Kissing Booth: Road Trip! by Beth Reekles
Darllen gyda Cyw by Anni Llŷn
Stori Cymru – Iaith a Gwaith by Myrddin ap Dafydd
