he mission for Zondervan Bibles, says Laura Bartlett, associate publisher, is to “publish beautiful Bibles, for all ages and stages of life.” That mission is taking on even deeper meaning with the August 12 publication of the Clear Focus Bible, a unique Bible designed to help everyone read the Bible with more focus while also helping those with reading disabilities read more comfortably.
The Clear Focus Bible incorporates what is called Bionic Reading®, a system that supports reading flow by highlighting, in bold letters, the portion of each word the brain needs to recognize without reading every letter. The process of a reader’s eyes skipping over words and text, says Bionic Reading® CEO Renato Casutt, can be likened to “a surfboard that glides over the top of a wave, creating a smooth and more focused reading experience.” Bionic Reading® focuses the reader’s mind on the most essential parts of the words, helping eliminate the number of distractions in the text. “This actually allows readers to read more of the Bible in the same amount of time,” Bartlett says, “by providing a smooth and focused reading experience.” (For an example, see www.zondervan.com/p/clear-focus-bible)
The Clear Focus Bible uses sans-serif typeface and a minimalistic page design to further reduce distractions. It’s also printed in dark gray ink rather than pure black, which lessens the contrast between the white page and the black text, making reading more comfortable for those with reading disabilities.
“By decreasing distractions and increasing focus, readers will stay more engaged and absorb more of the Bible’s message,” Bartlett says. “This is important for us at Zondervan Bibles because we believe the Bible is God’s Word, and thus being able to comprehend what it says is of vital importance.”
The Clear Focus Bible will launch in four translations, including the New International Version (NIV), the New International Reader’s Version (NIrV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB), and a digital release in the Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI). Each English translation will have a number of binding options, including an option in the NIrV translation that is designed specifically for children.
“When it comes to younger readers, I think parents will see if the Clear Focus Bible is working by noting whether their child is enjoying their Bible reading more,” Bartlett says. “If a child is able to read more of the Bible and to comprehend it just a little bit more, that would be a success for us.”
The goal for Zondervan Bibles is a more focused reading experience and an increased understanding of God’s Word for all people. “If the Clear Focus Bible is able to help readers with reading disabilities,” Bartlett says, “then we have succeeded in this part of our mission.”
