Oscar and the Bird – helping blind children spark an interest in electricity!

We’re delighted to announce the upcoming release of Oscar and the Bird: All about Electricity, adapted into an accessible version that blind and visually impaired children can experience through touch and sound. Designed for Key Stage 1 learners, this fabulous resource helps little learners understand electricity, how it works, and where it comes from.

Written and illustrated by Geoff Waring, Oscar and the Bird: All about Electricity follows a curious kitten called Oscar who is full of questions when his mischief sets off the windscreen wipers while he explores a tractor. Lucky, he meets Bird – who knows all about it! Together they discuss switches, wires, batteries, circuits, power and safety.

With illustrations expertly crafted into 3D versions, a special audio description by Ayo Sokale from CBeebies’ Get Set Galactic! guides little fingers over the raised pictures to help them build an image in their minds and ‘see’ through touch.

With illustrations expertly crafted into 3D versions, a special audio description by Ayo Sokale from CBeebies’ Get Set Galactic! guides little fingers over the raised pictures to help them build an image in their minds and ‘see’ through touch.

Ayo recorded her guide at our Newbury production studios and took the opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour! She said:

“I’m honoured to be working with Living Paintings, a charity dedicated to making books accessible to blind children through touch and sound, lending my voice to a truly special cause. Every child deserves the magic of books!”

The book has been kindly funded by our friends at The Ogden Trust, an organisation dedicated to supporting physics learning and engagement for children and young people. As part of their support, they’ve also supplied an additional activity pack with hands-on investigations to help blind and visually impaired children investigate the world of electricity. It follows previous generous support in enabling us to bring Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola’s Look Up! to life for our library members; a hugely popular title in our collection.

Clare Harvey, Chief Executive of the Ogden Trust said:

“The Touch to See books produced by Living Paintings are fantastic. I’m delighted that we have been able to support the production of these two books which are helping bring stories, and physics, to a wider audience”

Oscar and the Bird: All About Electricity is coming soon, and is available to pre-order now.