Reading Rainbow Redeux
I grew up with Reading Rainbow. Well, kinda sorta. The MEPA and I were fairly strict about television (that and we didn’t want to pay for cable) and pretty much the only TV the kiddos watched came via PBS programming. Reading Rainbow won out over Sesame Street and Mister Rogers. I didn’t want the television to be their babysitter so I would plunk myself down on the couch with them and we would relish our R&R time together.
image: geocaching.com “Take a look. It’s in a book. Reading Rainbow.”
The Grammy Award winning program aired from 1983 to 2009–that’s a lot of books! Levar Burton became as recognized and as trusted as Big Bird and Mr. Rogers in guiding children towards enrichment.
When Reading Rainbow went off the air, the world seemed a bit dimmer. Even though I hadn’t watched the show for years since the progeny grew up and moved to other entertainment *sniff* I still nurtured a soft spot for Levar’s brand of book boostering; if an episode aired and I happened to have the time I would watch it. With the passing of Reading Rainbow I thought “Well, there goes that wish.” You see, I harbored the secret wish of writing a book that might be selected as a Reading Rainbow feature read.
All is not lost, because Levar has fulfilled one of his secret wishes and has purchased the Reading Rainbow brand and is creating an app for this generation. He initially hoped to raise one million dollars on Kickstarter–that amount was achieved in only one day. He recently ended his campaign with a staggering amount of over five million dollars.
For more information go directly to the website. I’m looking forward to introducing Reading Rainbow to the grandkiddo. Heck, I might download the app for myself.
Are you nostalgic for a little Reading Rainbow. Check this out:
Or maybe this one:
It’s easy to see Reading Rainbow made an impact on one generation. I foresee its impact on this one.
But you don’t have to take my word for it.
Pam Webb 
As if we needed more proof Levar Burton was awesomesauce! When they reboot, I hope they go with a more classic version of the song, with the female singer. She fills me with so much nostalgia.
I loved Reading Rainbow, but my life rarely allowed me time to enjoy it 😦 PBS 😀 😀 😀 And Jimmy Fallon is ridiculously talented, isn’t he? 🙂
I might pop in a Reading Rainbow as an icebreaker for my AP students–just because. I don’t stay up late enough for Jimmy, but the clips I’ve seen are hilarious.
Pam, I haven’t watched most commercial TV in YEARS, including Late Night stuff. Commercial TV generally grates on my nerves in a VERY big way, now, so I’m sure there’s some good stuff spattered around that I’ll miss, but I have better things to do anyway 🙂 But there’s no denying the man’s talent. He’s LOADed! lol
I had never heard of this until an episode of Community was shown to me…it is criminal I had no idea LeVar Burton did that for years and I never came across it. I will go and watch, STAT!
You never watched Reading Rainbow!?! Oh, you will so relish making up for lost book booster time.
The UK didn’t really do that many imports of this type of thing which is a shame but in the age of the internet I can finally become a respectable person!
Shocking lack of cultural exchange. You gave us Dr Who, Levar should have been part of the bargain.
He was in Next Gen, which I spent my younger years watching so I am not a complete LeVar write off, lol.
Ah, see I’m an original Trekker and didn’t continue on with the series. There is no substitute for Spock and McCoy “He’s dead, Jim.” Although the new movies have some merit.
Into Darkness didn’t quite have that Star Trek feel for me but it was a good watch…I hope that they remake the one with the whales and set it in the 80’s with appropriate glam rock soundtrack. That would be bliss for me.
It’s hoped they will leave out Spock’s sailor vocabulary this time!
As long as the leave in ‘nuclear wessel’ I will be happy!
Haha forgot that part!
love reading rainbow! i was so on board with the kickstarter campaign. can’t wait to get my backer goodies. 🙂
I need to follow up on how the app is going. What a great way to introduce reading to a new generation!