In 1983, PBS debuted a children’s TV show that makes reading not only fun for children but also educates and introduces children to a variety of topics. Reading Rainbow, hosted by the energetic and charming LeVar Burton, ran for twenty-one seasons from 1983 to 2006 for a total of 155 episodes. Reruns and DVDs make it possible for children to still enjoy this fun and educational TV show about how the world opens up through reading a book.
The Reading Rainbow Episode Format
Each episode has a theme that revolves around the featured children’s book. LeVar Burton introduces the show, then the book is narrated, often by a famous actor, over slightly animated illustrations from the book. There are then two or three segments that support the theme. These segments are educational and entertaining and feature anything from learning about desert life with a park ranger to Burton dancing with the cast of Stomp to learn about different kinds of sound. Then children review three theme-related children’s books to get viewers interested in reading more about the subject. Then Burton wraps up the show with a friendly “I’ll see you next time.”
An Entertaining and Educational Children’s TV Show
This children’s TV show is effective at getting children interested in reading a variety of books. At least four children’s books are featured or reviewed in each episode, and they include fiction and non-fiction, poetry and prose, activity and reference books, showing children how many different kinds of books there are to appeal to all types of interests. Reading Rainbow has had such a great effect on children reading that now books featured on the show often have a Reading Rainbow stamp similar to that of a Newbery or Caldecott Award.
The themed segments are also very entertaining, and even children who aren’t interested in reading will be drawn in by the variety of things featured on this educational TV show. The show doesn’t have a set and instead travels around the country to find interesting people, events, and activities that support each show’s theme. Sometimes Burton just narrates a segment, but many times he’s right there interviewing and exploring.
Although the children’s books selected are geared at elementary school children, younger children will understand and enjoy the show and older children will be interested in the informative segments.
Reading Rainbow DVDs
PBS has put out twelve DVDs of select Reading Rainbow episodes. For each DVD, producers selected two particularly educational episodes with the same theme, for example Family Matters and Ocean Life. The DVDs also each have four or five bonus segments from other episodes that deal with the same theme. The DVDs can be bought separately or in box sets of four.
The Continuing Appeal of Reading Rainbow
PBS’s Reading Rainbow is one of the best children’s TV shows ever produced. Hosted by the endearing LeVar Burton and featuring quality children’s books, this is an educational TV show that also entertains.
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