Bookstart Touch books

Great books to share with children aged up to five who have a visual impairment. Many of these titles were selected by expert panels for the Bookstart Touch programme; others have been recommended by parents, teachers, children, the RNIB, ClearVision, and other specialists. The books aim to stimulate the senses for children with a visual impairment. Features in the different titles include strong contrasting colours, embossing, braille, and meaningful touch-and-feel elements.

  • Amazing Baby: Black and White

    by Emma Dodd 

    2015 0 to 2 years 

    • Board books
    • Interactive

    Turn the cut-out pages of this excellent black-and-white baby book and discover spotty frogs, stripy bees and even a sleepy teddy bear on pages filled with patterns, dots and stripes. A perfect first book with an easy rhyme that means baby can also get used to the sound of your voice.

  • Off to the Beach!

    by Child’s Play, illustrated by Cocoretto 

    2016 0 to 7 years 

    • Interactive
    • Touch and feel books
    • Visual impairment

    Child’s Play continue to build on their range of truly inclusive and accessible books with this sensory gem. Off to the Beach! takes us on a tactile trip to the seaside.

  • Getting Ready

    by Child’s Play, illustrated by Cocoretto 

    2016 0 to 4 years 

    • Interactive
    • Touch and feel books
    • Visual impairment

    Time to get up! Pull back the covers and choose your clothes. Getting ready for the day is made both fun and interactive in this touch-and-feel book. An irresistible tactile treat.

  • Don’t Tickle the Hippo!

    by Sam Taplin, illustrated by Ana Larrañaga 

    2019 0 to 4 years 

    • Board books
    • Funny
    • Interactive
    • Touch and feel books

    A hilarious touch-and-feel noisy book to excite the interest of very young children. The final double-page spread will have everyone within hearing distance moving to the rhythm!

  • Don’t Tickle the Crocodile

    by Sam Taplin, illustrated by Ana Martin Larranaga 

    2021 2 to 4 years 

    • Board books
    • Funny
    • Interactive
    • Touch and feel books

    Tickle the various animals and listen out for their noisy response! This touch-and-feel book is sure to get little ones giggling. 

  • Little Fish and Friends

    by Lucy Cousins 

    2020 2 to 4 years 

    • Board books
    • Interactive
    • Poetry and rhyme
    • Touch and feel books

    A fabulous touch-and-feel board book with rhyming text and a traditional feel.

  • Where’s My Puppy?

    by Becky Davies, illustrated by Kate McLelland 

    2021 2 to 4 years 

    • Interactive
    • Touch and feel books
    • Visual impairment

    This touch-and-feel board book takes a similar approach to the popular Usborne That’s Not My… series, with different textures and shapes for little fingers to explore on each page.

  • Quiet!

    by Kip Alizadeh 

    2017 2 to 9 years 

    • Visual impairment

    A small child takes us on an auditory tour of her home in this delightful picture of family life, ingeniously interpreted through its sounds. It’s a book that radiates comfort, security, warmth and love.

  • Baby Touch: Playbook

    by Ladybird, illustrated by Lemon Ribbon Studio 

    2022 2 to 4 years 

    • Board books
    • Interactive
    • Touch and feel books

    A larger format board book that encourages little ones to play.

  • That’s Not My Chick

    by Fiona Watt, illustrated by Rachel Wells 

    2018 2 to 4 years 

    • Interactive
    • Touch and feel books
    • Visual impairment

    A fun touch and feel board book that encourages little fingers to explore the different shapes and textures on each page

  • Hiss Roar Snap

    by Christie Hainsby, illustrated by Stephanie Thannhauser 

    2022 2 to 4 years 

    • Board books
    • Interactive
    • Touch and feel books

    Little ones can learn different animals sounds (and join in!) in this playful touch-and-feel book. 

  • The Very Busy Spider

    by Eric Carle 

    1996 2 to 7 years 

    • Board books
    • Classics
    • Interactive
    • Picture books
    • Touch and feel books

    One morning in a farmyard a spider begins to spin a web. All the animals try to persuade her to stop but she doesn’t answer any of them; she is too busy spinning her web.