Client Story
JANIE DESIR, Author, Educator, Accessibility Advocate
@teaching_your_baby_braille | www.tybibraille.com
Turning Vision Loss into a New Language for Learning
An innovative author finds MCRL for her complex project
Janie Desir began experiencing symptoms of keratoconus at age 25, while studying graphic design in college. Within months, the career she had been building, and the visual world she relied on, changed completely.
Determined to adapt, Janie enrolled in a blind school, where she spent three months learning braille and developing new ways to navigate everyday life. The concept for her children’s book came years later, during her pregnancy.
“I started asking myself, what if my child experiences vision loss too? How can I prepare him? “, says Janie. That question became the foundation for her first book: Teaching Your Baby Braille.
Collaboration Made It Possible
To transform this highly sensory experience into production-ready files, MCRL connected Janie with children’s book producer, Melinda Martin, of Martin Publishing Studio. Melinda is an experienced publishing professional who helps many of our clients publish bookstore-quality books.
Janie and Melinda clicked immediately.
Melinda worked closely with Janie to ensure every detail was ready for print; from page placement to tactile readability, to artwork licensing. Melinda did a great job preserving Janie’s vibe and creative feel and prepared perfect press-ready files to us for print.
The Final Product?
A highly complex and innovative braille board book that is beautiful!
Size: 8″ x 8″ rounded corners
Page count: 8
Interior pages:
- 350gsm gloss
- Braille Emboss
- 4/4 cmyk
Cover:
- 60pt gloss
- 4/4 cmyk
- Braille Emboss
More Than a Book
Teaching Your Baby Braille is an educational tool and the first in a planned series. The second and third titles are focused on shapes and the alphabet, building a full early-learning system rooted in accessibility.
Since Teaching Your Baby Braille launched in January 2026, Janie’s book has gained national media coverage, recognition across homeschooling communities in multiple states and was featured on the TV show, Truly: My Extraordinary Family.
Today in addition to online sales, Janie uses her book as part of a broader speaking series, encouraging students to rethink limitations and embrace resilience. Her message is simple but hard-earned:
As an author, finding a printing partner that is both supportive and resourceful can be challenging, but MCRL stands out in the best way.
Rather than turning authors away, they have created an open and welcoming space with resources that support you at every stage of your book project.
What I appreciated most was the consistent, clear communication. The team made sure that both Melinda and I were always informed, updated, and prepared for each next step in the process. That level of transparency and care made the entire experience smooth and reassuring.
Overall, my experience has been exceptional. With three more books on the way, I can confidently say that I will continue this journey with MCRL.
A New Way to See Learning
Braille, like sign language, is a skill anyone can learn, and one parents can share with their children from an early age.
Through innovation, determination, and the right production partners, Janie transformed a personal challenge into a tool that empowers families everywhere.
Learn more at: www.tybibraille.com
