As this week is Dyslexia Awareness Week it seems appropriate to introduce you to an independent publisher that I was made aware of recently, Barrington Stokes, who publish Dyslexia Friendly books.
The Barrington Stoke books are available in our Enfield Libraries. Unfortunately, they are mixed in with all the other books, so you have to hunt for them, but it is well worth taking the time and patience to do so. To be able to spot them look out for red ‘Dyslexia Friendly’ stickers on their covers and look on the shelves for books that do not have white pages. These books are also available to buy from Barrington Stoke, an independent publisher http://www.barringtonstoke.co.uk
What is so special (and exciting) about these books? They have:
- Short word lengths so readers can enjoy the achievement of finishing a books
- Lots of chapter breaks so readers can take a rest
- Cream paper which minimises glare
- A dyslexia-friendly font
- Special line, character and paragraph spacing
- Text that has been edited to suit a lower reading age and the content is appropriate to the actual age of reader.
Have a look at the website and you will discover that the books have been written by famous authors including Michael Morpurgo, Jeremy Strong and Julia Donaldson. They give children a huge sense of satisfaction at being able to complete a book and understand it while they are reading it.
Their website also offers advice and tips for parents and educators.
Dyslexia Awareness Week this year will focus on the theme ‘Beyond Words’.
The theme has been chosen because there is a need to highlight that people with dyslexia can face difficulties with maths, organisational skills and short term memory, and not just difficulties with spelling, writing and reading. For more information visit http://dyslexiaaction.org.uk/dyslexia-awareness-week-2013-14th-20th-october
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