Celebrate World Braille Day

In January we celebrate World Braille Day.

Braille is a system of transcribing print so it can be read by touch. Braille is now mainly used by people who are blind or partially sighted, but the original idea was for soldiers to be able to read at night without putting themselves in danger by using any light. Over the centuries, Braille has had an enormous effect on the lives of millions of people across 120 countries worldwide.

To draw attention to Braille, we are proud to feature Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria’s The Black Book of Colors (2008) as our book of the month for younger readers. This unique book is designed to be read with one’s fingers instead of the eyes, and allows sighted readers to experience colors the way blind people do.  The pages consist of black raised line art against black pages and invite the reader to explore what it’s like to read tactilely. Youngsters will enjoy this perspective on reading and gain a better understanding about those without sight.

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