On Task? Why Literacy Wins Every Time

We love educators, we really do. They’re in the trenches, day in and day out.

Bonus: most are looking for innovative and creative ways to get their kids more excited and engaged. That’s why we still partner with Books Are Fun and Book Blast.

I spoke with one such educator I’ve known for going on 15 years now—completely sold on the Book Blast concept and a pied piper in promoting the program statewide. We booked them late last week. Then I got an apology from her… with this message from the principal:

“Kids need to stay on task, and we do not have time to watch the video if the school is not able to make any money.”

That line landed in my inbox and screamed one thing: some school leaders are so far from what it really takes to teach young kids, they’ve forgotten what a classroom is supposed to look like.

Here’s the truth: giving kids a reading-level-appropriate book is not a distraction. It’s the fastest way to get buy-in, focus, and long-term learning. Ask any teacher: hands in a book = engagement. No video, no spreadsheets, no fancy dashboards required.

And it’s not just books for the kids—it’s classroom shopping sprees for STEM kits, robots, wireless headphones, and more. That’s why Book Blast isn’t a “fundraiser.” It’s a literacy and reading enhancement program designed to get kids pumped about reading.

So yes, I’m fired up. Because we’re not waiting for permission from administrators who live in schedules and spreadsheets. We’re building momentum. We’re putting over 6 million books in hands. We’re creating excitement about reading. We’re lighting sparks.

To the detached principal who thinks “time” and “profit” matter more than curiosity and growth: the future doesn’t bend toward your comfort zone. It bends toward the schools with more books, more brave teachers, and more readers.

Here’s to the teachers doing the heavy lifting. We love you and appreciate your passion and willingness to promote reading in the classroom and at home. We even have a whole line of shirts tuned to literacy and reading for teachers.

Let them read. Let them dream. ✏️📚