Richard E. Grant lends voice to Living Paintings accessible adaptation of The Elves and the Shoemaker.

• The Elves and the Shoemaker, written by Mara Alperin and illustrated by Erica Waters, has been adapted into an accessible version that enables children who are blind or visually impaired to experience it through touch and sound.
• This adaptation was kindly funded by ShoeZone.
• It includes an audio description of the illustrations brilliantly read by Richard E. Grant.
• The book has been adapted by the charity Living Paintings, and is available now to borrow for free from their postal library.

The charity Living Paintings has added The Elves and the Shoemaker, written by Mara Alperin and illustrated by Erica-Jane Waters, to its library of over 3,000 tactile audio picture books for children who are blind.

Each copy has been handmade by a remarkable team of volunteers at the Living Paintings head office near Newbury. It features three vibrant hand-painted tactile illustrations of the helpful elves and their handy tools, perfect for little fingers to explore.

The original text of the story is included in Braille on clear plastic sheets. This promotes learning and joint-reading, ensuring both sighted and non-sighted readers can engage with the book simultaneously.

Richard E. Grant lends his voice to the audio descriptive guide included with the book. This guides readers through all the illustrations in the book, as well as the tactile illustrations, helping them see through touch and sound.

Families with children who are blind can borrow a copy of The Elves and the Shoemaker for FREE from their postal library.

Richard E. Grant, actor, said:

“I am honoured to contribute to the efforts of Living Paintings to bring the magical world of picture books to life for children who are blind. I have been enraptured with stories all my life, and to know that my voice will help readers bring the world of The Elves and the Shoemaker to life in the theatre of their minds is a truly wonderful thing.”

Mara Alperin, author of The Elves and the Shoemaker, said:

“I absolutely loved writing The Elves and the Shoemaker. It’s a story about kindness and about sharing, so I am delighted that, thanks to Living Paintings, this story can be shared with children who are blind and partially sighted, to enjoy over and over again. Seeing the process of how the book was made, and all the incredible stages involved, was so inspiring, and I couldn’t be more excited for its launch.”

Erica-Jane Waters, illustrator, said:

“The illustrations of Elves and the Shoemaker are a large part of why the story is so beloved, and Living Paintings have done an extraordinary job translating them into the tactile format. For years, sighted children have been able to enjoy the illustrations – why should blind children miss out? Now, thanks to Living Paintings, children who are blind can experience this story to its fullest, in the way they know best: through touch and sound.”

ENDS

About Living Paintings:

Living Paintings is the national charity on a mission to ensure every child who is blind in the UK has equal access to the visual world of pictures, books and learning. From adapting bestselling picture books into accessible, tactile-audio formats for children who are blind to developing resources designed to inspire, educate and entertain – their free postal library gives thousands of children who are blind, the world at their fingertips.

For more information contact the Media team at Living Paintings.

Tel: 01635 299771 ext 205

livingpaintings.org

Instagram – @livingpaintingscharity