[bksvol-discuss] Re: Describing Pictures In Children's Books

I was interested in your response. We raised three sighted children and back 
then I had friends helping me braille the story an picture descriptions for the 
print book  because without the actual pictures, I agree with you, the books 
would have meant nothing. I would be very interested to see Bookshare's records 
on how many of these books are being downloaded.  
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bob 
  To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 6:03 PM
  Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Describing Pictures In Children's Books


  Jill, I completely agree with you.

  When my kids were very young my ex- and I got a large number of the books 
with braille and print on them, and the kids loved it.

  When my youngest was about five I thought to increase her reading world by 
ordering talking books for young kids. She and I agreed to spend forty-five 
minutes each evening listening to the books together. She was very excited 
about it, and so was I. However, five minutes into the first book my daughter 
went to sleep. We tried it for four more nights with the same result. When I 
asked her why she kept falling asleep, she said "I don't have anything to do." 

  Kids need to interact with a book when they first start reading, and I don't 
think synthesized speech on a computer can compete with Barney or power rangers.

  Just my thoughts.

  Bob
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Jill O'Connell 
    To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 6:45 PM
    Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Describing Pictures In Children's Books


    For what it's worth, I think books for very young children would have to be 
read by blind parents because the books would be in grade II braille and I 
don't think little ones would appreciate reading in synthetic speech. And if 
I'm right, I don't think really young children who are sighted would appreciate 
a book without pictures, even if there were written descriptions, and I doubt 
if they were blind the written descriptions pictures would mean much to them. I 
know this sounds negative and it is why I have never been enthusiastic about 
children's books where pictures are so important. I know of at least two 
sources where books have both braille, print and the pictures with their 
descriptions which I consider to be far more appropriate for young children. 
Bookshare doesn't need to try to fill every niche in my opinion. I'm expecting 
a lot of opposition to this opinion, however.  
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Jamie Yates, CPhT 
      To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
      Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 3:07 PM
      Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Describing Pictures In Children's Books


      And sometimes, too, Cindy, you don't know a person's ethnicity just from 
their color. Not all people who are black are "African-American". 

      I ask myself the same questions all of the time when I have a children's 
book, Cindy. I could easily spend more time describing pictures than scanning 
or proofing the rest of the book. How much is enough? How much is too much? I 
don't think I've ever stated the color of the people in a picture before 
because I usually feel like it's not important. But Ann (I think it was Ann) 
made a good point about that being important information.

      And Lissi made a good point about the descriptions being at the same 
reading level as the book. I've never considered that before.


      Jamie in Michigan 
      Currently Reading - Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife by 
Irene Spencer 
      With Skype you can make free calls over the Internet. Skype - the whole 
world can talk for free  


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