We live in a world whirling with visual content. Students today are used to seeing flashy colors, quick cuts, and fast-paced media. They are acclimated to—and have come to expect—content that is dynamic and interactive. And this reliance on flash and fancy is changing the way students respond to printed media.

Maybe you've noticed it? A book with black text on a white page with a few lovely photos that years ago held the attention of your first-grade students. But now … they flip through the pages and sigh. Know what I'm talking about?

Publishers can be a stodgy group. We are the bookworms, the literary linguists, and the purveyors of properly constructed sentences. And in that world, there's little room for sentence fragments or content presented visually. But our students live in a world of sentence fragments and visual content. And I believe our students deserve books that meet them where they are.

This year, Black Rabbit Books has launched its newest imprint of books—Bolt Jr. The approach in these books is unlike anything in the K-2 market today. With Bolt Jr., educators can walk young readers through differentiated page layouts, graphs, and nontraditional presentations of text. All of the content has been specifically leveled to be accessible to K-2 students. And, just as importantly, all of the content has been specifically designed to appeal to today's student.

In a nutshell, Bolt Jr. titles set young readers up for success today and in the future. The books teach visual literacy through a bright, bold package. They have the supports young readers need for authentic reading experiences. And, most importantly, they help students grow into booklovers.


Jen Besel
Associate Publisher
Black Rabbit Books