ClearVision is a nationwide lending library providing new opportunities for visually impaired young learners to read books previously inaccessible to them by adding brailled text to standard children's picture books so that the pictures and print are still visible. Not only do some braille readers have enough sight to get pleasure from the illustrations, but the books encourage integrated activities between sighted children and adults and braille-reading children. ClearVision books have also been welcomed by visually impaired adults wanting to read to sighted children, and some are especially adapted to meet this need. ClearVision books are borrowed by over 350 schools, public libraries, resource bases, visual impairment services and individual families throughout the UK. The new 'tactile' book library will be used by young learners with little or no sight, many of whom have additional physical or learning disabilities.

The books need to be robust enough to withstand enthusiastic exploration and have basic text and visually simple illustrations; the most important thing is that every part of them can be experienced through touch. Before you start, why not feel your way through some materials, textures, sounds and smells, then as you get going ask a friend to don a blindfold and try to decipher your pictures. The best tactile books use a variety of contrasting textures, and not all soft and silky. Flat objects or baked clay shapes with pierced holes can be securely sewn onto pages. Items which can be moved or manipulated are popular (to make it popular with the librarian any moveable objects need to be attached to the book in some way).

Many children who cannot see print have enough sight to enjoy bright colours and contrasts; some can enjoy sparkle from reflective materials. Babies and toddlers will clutch at flaps before they learn to stroke with their fingertips. Don't forget about sounds and smells! Let your imagination run riot and experience your work in a whole new way! ClearVision is offering a £50 book token to the creator of the best book in each of five categories outlined below:

• Nursery Rhymes & Traditional Verses e.g. Baa Baa Black Sheep, or One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
• Traditional Stories e.g. Little Red Riding Hood, an Aesop's fable, or Folk Tales from any culture
• Early Learning e.g. Numbers & Counting, Opposites, Sizes, Shapes, or a single Letter of the alphabet
• Everyday Life e.g. My Day, Getting Dressed, or A Trip to the Park
• New Stories or Rhymes Based on your own original story or poem

For the framework of the book use a smooth fabric which will repel dirt, and pages should be able to open out flat, which may mean that the book itself is not a conventional shape. Each page or section should be stiffened with plastic canvas or other durable, waterproof stiffener. Make sure the book is completely safe for young children, everything should be securely attached, especially beads, buttons or long fibres which could cause choking, avoid toxic glues or inks and anything sharp. To suit small hands, pages or sections should not be more than 20 x 25cms with not more that eight pages to a book (excluding covers). Keep the text, if any, short and simple (absolute max. 400 words). Words can be written or sewn into the book. Please allow plenty of blank space below the text so that a brailled version can be added by ClearVision. You can if you wish put 'donated to ClearVision by (your name)' at the bottom of the back cover. Please leave the rest of the back cover blank.

Competition Entries should be sent, no later than 30 August 2002, to: ClearVision Tactile Book Project, Embroiderers' Guild, Apt. 41 Hampton Court Palace Surrey KT8 9AU. For further information about the project please contact the Guild on 020 8943 1229. For further information about ClearVision please contact them on 020 8789 9575.