Recent research indicates that Americans are reading less than they have in the past, as black-and-white text competes with more visually exciting media, such as the Internet, movies, and television. As a solution to this problem, the author proposes that books and instructional materials engage readers visually through the use of color and design. As a high school English teacher, she has used technology to design instructional materials with colored words, various font sizes, and eye-catching imagery. Such materials, she asserts, greatly improve student engagement and achievement. Kirschenbaum calls for a paradigm shift in the visual experience of reading. Her article is a demonstration of the "multi-sensory" writing that she advocates; she designed the layout and illustrations to support her theme.