DK launches braille series for children

DK, a division of Penguin Random House UK, will next month launch a series of braille books for children.

The ‘DK Braille’ series is the first of its kind for the publisher, which has created a range of non-fiction titles, ranging from board books to books for independent readers. Senior editor Fleur Star and designer Jemma Westing came up with the idea, while producer Charlotte Oliver looked into the feasibility of making braille books using standard production methods. The three then developed the series with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

As well as braille lettering, the books also feature tactile elements such as embossing and flocked finishing. The narrative is also told in printed text so parents or carers can read alongside children.

DK claims that braille books for children are rare in the marketplace, adding: “Only a tiny percentage of books are available in large-print format, unabridged, audio or braille; and adapted books (where braille is stuck into an existing book) are often handmade with little to no safety testing.”

The series will launch 10th March with five titles: DK Braille: Counting, DK Braille: Shapes, DK Braille: On the Move, DK Braille: Animals and DK Braille: It Can’t Be True!, all priced between £9.99 and £19.99.