That question comes from the Tactile Picture Books Project, which is a fascinating, inspiring, and just downright brilliant use of technology.

What is it? Some researchers at the University of Colorado have created 3-D printed storybooks for visually impaired children. Think braille on steroids.

Images literally emerge from the page, formed into shapes of the objects within the book’s text. They allow visually impaired kids to get a better sense of the elements of a story, like landscapes.

Check out these examples from Goodnight Moon, which show the text and the braille, followed by the 3-D printed images: