Books for and about the Vision-Impaired

Some people read with their eyes, but other people read with their hands. The SSHEL S-Collection has books for all types of readers. These books are great for anyone who likes to read—or would like to learn to read—in braille. There are also plenty of information books about the experience of being blind or vision impaired as well as biographies of famous blind individuals. Children with visual disabilities can find themselves in their pages, and visually-typical children can learn about someone who lives life a little differently than they do. Books in braille and books about blindness are perfect for classroom lessons about disabilities or for anyone eager to learn.

When searching for books in braille, try keywords “books in braille” or “braille books.”
When searching for print books about blind individuals or blindness in general, try a subject search of “juvenile literature” combined with keywords “vision impaired,”, “blind,” or “visual disability.”

Books in Braille

Andreae, Giles.
Giraffes Can’t Dance. 2013.
Gerald the giraffe just wants to dance—but his body won’t cooperate! His legs are too long and gangly, and he just feels silly until he finds the perfect music.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. SE. An254g2013]

Armstrong, Nancy M.
Navajo Long Walk. 2014.
This is the story of a Navajo boy named Kee who must travel a long distance with his family and livestock to an internment camp, where he and his family are forced to live for four years before they can return to their reservation.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. S. Ar583n]

Carmi, Rebecca.
Amazing Magnetism: Magic School Bus #12. 2013.
Miss Frizzle’s class challenges another second grade class to a science contest. Miss Frizzle’s class was falling behind, but when your school bus is magic, anything can happen!
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. S. 538 C21a2013

Cowley, Joy.
Gracias, the Thanksgiving Turkey. 2015.
Miguel becomes friends with the turkey his Papa sends home for Thanksgiving Dinner and names him Gracias. But Gracias isn’t a pet–he’s supposed to be a meal! With a little help from his family, will Miguel be able to keep Gracias off the menu?
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. S. C839g2015]

Cunningham, Ann.
Sadie Can Count: A Multisensory Book. 2006.
This book has both large print and braille for readers of all ability; similarly, it contains full-color illustrations along with other, more tactile details to be enjoyed by all.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. SE. C917s]

Gidwitz, Adam.
A Tale Dark and Grimm. 2015.
Hansel and Gretel find their way into a few other stories and meet the characters living there as they try to learn to live happily ever after.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. S. G3611t2015]

Keene, Carolyn.
The Pumpkin Patch Puzzle: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #33. 2015.
Nancy and her Clue Crew have an autumn mystery to solve—someone has smashed all the pumpkins for the big pumpkin decorating contest!
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. S. K251pu2015]

Koster, Gloria.
The Peanut-Free Café. 2006.
What will a peanut-butter-loving school do when a new student with a nut allergy enrolls? Should the food be banned? How could an entire school ever give up peanut butter? Simon has a clever idea—a Peanut-Free Café!
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. SE. K8481p2006]

Osborne, Mary Pope.
Ghost Town at Sundown. 2014.
Jack and Annie are at it again in their Magic Tree House—this time, they are sent back to the Old West to solve a mystery and meet cowboys and ghosts along the way.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. S. Os26g2014]

Penn, Audrey.
The Kissing Hand. 2005.
Chester the raccoon feels a little apprehensive about starting Kindergarten, so his mother shows him a special trick to help him bring her love with him wherever he goes.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. SE. P381k2005]

Rylant, Cynthia.
Henry and Mudge and Annie’s Perfect Pet: The Twentieth Book of their Adventures. 2013.
Henry’s cousin Annie likes Mudge the dog, but wants to decide what kind of pet would be just right for her. A bird? A kitty? Or something else?
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. S. R983h2013]

Yousafzai, Malala.
I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban. 2015.
Malala Yousafzai tells the story of her courage when she demanded her right for education and was shot by the Taliban at age 15. She survived and became one of the most inspiring figures of the decade.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. SB. Y82y2015]

Books about Braille, Blindness, and Blind Individuals

Non-fiction Books and Biographies for Beginning Readers

Alexander, Sally Hobart.
Do You Remember the Color Blue? 2000.
The author, who lost her sight at age 27, recounts the questions children have asked her, including, “How can you read?” and “Is it scary?”
[CCB and SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 305.908161 Al 27d]

Edwards, Nicola.
My Friend is Blind. 2005.
This book is an introduction to blindness for children who may have never encountered an individual with the disability. It includes color pictures and a glossary for additional learning.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 617.7 Ed976m]

Moore, Eva.
Buddy, the First Seeing Eye Dog. 1996.
Readers follow Buddy the German shepherd as he trains to become America’s first seeing eye dog.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 362.4183 M782b]

O’Connor, Barbara.
The World at His Fingertips: A Story about Louis Braille. 1997.
A short biography of Louis Braille, who invented the reading system of the same name after he was blinded as a child.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION SB. B8140]

Rappaport, Doreen.
Helen Keller’s Big World. 2012.
Easily accessible for young readers, this biography of Helen Keller introduces children to her unique life.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION SB. K292r]

Troupe, Quincy.
Little Stevie Wonder. 2005.
Learn all about blind musician Stevie Wonder’s life from his birth in Detroit to his worldwide success as a recording artist. This book includes a CD for additional sensory fun.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 811 T757l]

Non-fiction Books and Biographies for Intermediate to Advanced Readers

Alexander, Sally Hobart.
She Touched the World: Laura Bridgman, Deaf-Blind Pioneer. 2008.
Many people know of Helen Keller, but not as many are familiar with Laura Bridgman. Bridgman lost her sight, hearing, and some of her smell and taste as a child. She went on to study at the first school for the blind and later became a beloved teacher.
[CCB and SSHEL S COLLECTION SB. B855a]

Dash, Joan.
The World at Her Fingertips: The Story of Helen Keller. 2001.
This in-depth biography of the famous Helen Keller provides curious readers with more details than ever before, including her college years and eventual involvement in the political world.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION SB. K294da]

Jeffrey, Laura.
All about Braille: Reading by Touch. 2004.
An introduction to the braille system with a full explanation of its history and invention by Louis Braille.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 411 J372a]

Kent, Deborah.
Extraordinary People with Disabilities. 1996.
This book profiles famous individuals with disabilities—some visual—and emphasizes the continuing struggle for equal rights for the differently abled.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 363.40922 K414e]

A New Free Resource
The U.S. government offers free, video-on-demand children’s television programming for thousands of students who are blind, visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing. For more information, see the news release and link.