Braille artist Mr Dot creates children's book

Clarke Reynolds, better known as Mr Dot, is a blind artist from Portsmouth who is making a big difference in the world of children's books. He has created a unique book called 'Mr Dot and His Magical White Cane Adventures. ' What makes this book special is that it is designed for both sighted and blind readers. On one side of each page, there are colorful illustrations and text for those who can see, while the other side features the same story written in braille, which is a system of raised dots that blind people use to read. This is not common in most braille books, which are usually thick and only have braille. Mr Dot wants to change that by making braille books that look and feel like regular books, so everyone can enjoy them together.

Mr Dot has been losing his sight since he was six years old, and he has been using braille as part of his art for almost seven years. He started the character Mr Dot when he began visiting schools to teach children about braille. He explains, 'Just like a typographer uses a letter, Mr Dot uses a dot. ' For him, the dot is more than just a shape; it is a way to share language and stories. In his new book, there are pages with bright colors and simple drawings, like one that shows Mr Dot with his white cane. The text says, 'Mr Dot is my name and I have a white cane. It's magic and helps me to see. I tap through the day, to find my own way, which means that I can be free. ' The opposite page has the same story in braille, so blind children can read along too.

Mr Dot believes that using braille in his artwork makes it accessible for everyone, not just people who are blind. He says that when people asked him how he sees, he would say, 'It's like looking through a thousand dots. ' Learning braille felt natural to him, and he enjoys turning images into simple dot patterns, almost like making pixel art. He has even created pop art posters using braille, such as a version of the famous Jaws movie poster, where the word 'Jaws' is spelled out in red braille dots. Since creating the Mr Dot character, he has traveled across the UK, teaching more than 20,000 children about braille and how it works. He wants braille books to be seen as normal books, not something strange or different. By making books that everyone can read, he hopes to make braille universal and help people understand what it is like to be blind. Mr Dot's work is helping to break down barriers and show that everyone, no matter how they read, can enjoy stories together.