April’s Touch to See reading journey

April has been a member of Living Paintings library since she was 3 years old. She has just turned 7 and during this time we have had the pleasure of lending over 60 of our Touch to See books to April, to help her on her reading journey.

Marie, April’s mum, provided a case study for us 3 years ago – explaining that April was born with a genetic condition called Lebers Congenital Amaurosis. April is registered blind, with no sight and just a little contrast between light and dark. At the time of writing April’s first case study, Marie explained that April was attending mainstream nursery a few days a week. Well, fast forward 3 years and April is now attending mainstream school, which she thoroughly enjoys!

Marie recently wrote to us, to let us know how April is progressing and how much she still enjoys borrowing Living Paintings Books….

April is enjoying books more and more!

“April is a confident, bright and fun loving little girl and is achieving many goals the same as her peers.  At home she enjoys her brailler and listening to her cd’s – particularly ‘The Worst Witch’. She attends horse riding lessons once a week, takes part in a gymnastics club, does arts and craft and loves sharing her braille books. As you can tell from her hobbies, she will join in and is not fazed by much! She is a very happy little girl with a great infectious bubbly laugh and a good sense of humour.

April is an intuitive and inquisitive child, and as she progresses learning her braille she is enjoying books more and more, and reading more and more!”

The only organisation that I have come across to offer children’s fun loving books

“Living Paintings Touch to See books allow us to sit together as a family and enable myself, her dad or her sister Grace to read the words whilst she follows. She is now also reading some of the words in braille herself. April loves feeling the raised pages and associating these, particularly characters, with the stories.

Living Paintings are one of the only organisations that I have come across to offer children’s fun loving books with braille that are age appropriate. They bring reading and books further into April’s imagination. The fact that she can feel the items that relate to the book help her imagination and create more questions to ask and further her desire to learn about the world.

These books allow April to interact and have the same experience that children of her own age are experiencing, they give her much pleasure and are a great aid to providing the basis of a good education. Having access to these books and learning resources to stimulate her during lockdown was invaluable. When she receives the parcel of books in the post she loves it!

Thank you Living Paintings for your continued support over the years.”