Walker Books are really excited to be working with award winning charity Living Paintings to produce a new touch and sound picture book for blind children. The book, ‘Mole’s Sunrise’ by Jeanne Willis and Sarah Fox-Davies, it will be published by Walker Books in February 2011, and Living Paintings’ adaptation will be available from its free library at the same time! This is a world first –where both sighted and blind children will be able to equally access the book.
The adaptation was the idea of the book’s author Jeanne Willis.
"I’ve already been lucky enough to have two pictures books brilliantly adapted by Living Paintings and I know that their production of Mole’s Sunrise will be inspired in every sense. I’m particularly thrilled that they have adopted this title because like vole, sparrow, rabbit and squirrel, Living Pictures will show the sunset to their audience in all its glory- something I could never hope to do through words alone."
Living Paintings artist Peter Boex will be creating the feely picture carvings, that depict the scenes and characters from the story. The audio script is being written by volunteer Sue Choules, this describes the illustrations on each page and guides the fingers over the feely pictures.
You can follow the production process as it happens. Living Paintings will be updating their website and Twitter with news, pictures, audio and videos showing and telling you all about how they make their unique Living Picture Books. The next exciting stages coming up include, choosing what colours to paint the feely pictures, draft recording the script and road testing by a young library members.
Living Paintings’ Chief Executive, Camilla Oldland says “For the very first time blind and partially sighted children will be able to read a book, including all its wonderful, colourful illustrations, from the very day that it is published and made available to their sighted peers. Thanks to a collaboration with Walker Books and author, Jeanne Willis, Living Paintings is proving that it is possible to break down yet another barrier in achieving equal access to literature for blind and partially sighted children. Jeanne’s lovely book, ‘Mole’s Sunrise’, echoes the very sentiments that Living Paintings founder Alison Oldland had when she started the charity in 1989: of friendship and wanting to share the visual world with those who cannot see. I am so proud that we, together, have been able to achieve this unique publishing milestone and hope ‘Mole’s Sunrise’ has broken the ground for others to follow.”