Young Girl Receives Magical Christmas Present of Braille “Harry Potter” Books
Katelyn Suter decided to make Christmas amazing for her 7-year-old niece Emrie but soon realized that the gift she wanted to buy was nearly impossible to find. Suter was after a special set of Harry Potter books, a set printed in braille so that Emrie could read them. She soon realized, however, that these books are incredibly rare. She struggled to find a set to buy, and none of the libraries in her local Kansas City area, Missouri, had them available to borrow. When she did eventually find a set, she was shocked at its price.
Emrie about to open her magical Christmas present (Credit: @katescookieskc on Instagram)
One book in the series costs roughly $240. Suter stated that this price “just broke [her] heart.” She set up a GoFundMe page in an attempt to raise enough money to buy one set for Emrie and another to donate to a local library. The support Suter gained was incredible, and she raised enough money within 24 hours to buy five sets, meaning she was able to donate four sets of books to libraries and schools in the Kansas City metro area.
Braille editions of the Harry Potter books
Suter has thanked the public for their support but picked out one benefit above all. In an interview with 41 Action News, Suter stated that “the greatest thing it has done is raise awareness for braille books and the accessibility/ price of them.” Suter posted this video on her Instagram page of her niece Emrie’s reaction while opening her present. It has been viewed over 42,000 times, with people commenting that it is “the sweetest thing [they’ve] seen.”
View this post on Instagram
The Harry Potter series has always tried to be accessible, with each book being available in braille at nearly the same time as the original publication, although (as proven by Suter’s struggle) these versions are nearly impossible to get your hands on. Hopefully, the story of Suter and her niece will help people realize the lack of books available to the visually impaired.
Did you receive any Harry Potter-themed gifts for Christmas?
