Series

Watch Reading Rainbow (1983) Online

8.349 votes1983TV-Y30mEndedKids

Synopsis

“Take a look, it’s in a book, a Reading Rainbow!”

Journey to exciting places and build a lasting connection with your favorite books. Each episode centers on a theme from a book, or other children's literature, which is explored through a number of segments or stories.

Episodes

Season 1

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1. Tight TimesNow viewing1983-06-0630mA young girl's father loses his job.
2. Miss Nelson Is Back1983-06-0730mAs part of his birthday celebration, LeVar gets made-up like a movie monster, and then gets involved in Harry Blackstone's magic act. Ruth Buzzi reads Miss Nelson Is Back, all about a group of rowdy students who try to take advantage of their teacher's absence when she's out sick one day, and how she gets revenge on them by pretending to be "the meanest teacher in the world, Viola Swamp."
3. Bea and Mr. Jones1983-06-0830mLeVar is already worn out after working on several scenes all day long on the production of the series. He feels he needs to take on another identity, segueing into introducing the featured book, Bea and Mr. Jones. Madeline Kahn reads the book about a kindergarten student and her father who get so bored with their jobs that they decide to experiment by switching places for the day.
4. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain1983-06-0930mBringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
5. Louis the Fish1983-06-1030mLouis the Fish
6. Digging Up Dinosaurs1983-06-1330mTechnically not the first science-related show in its history, LeVar seeks a place where archaeologists retrieve dinosaur bones. At the end of the program, LeVar buries a time capsule, containing (among other things) a can of old Coke and his picture. Linda Gilman reads Digging Up Dinosaurs, a story about how paleontologists unearth dinosaurs skeletons and preserve them in museum exhibits.
7. Liang and the Magic Paintbrush1983-06-1430mLiang and the Magic Paintbrush
8. Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport1983-06-1530mIn the featured book, a young boy and his family move from New York City to the Southwest and he has many misconceptions about what his new home is like.
9. Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe1983-06-1630mThree Days on a River in a Red Canoe
10. The Gift of the Sacred Dog1983-06-1730mThe first of many programs favoring Native Americans. In this instance, a Midwestern legend suggests how horses arrived to the tribe. Later in this episode is the song "Ancient Places, Sacred Lands" which lists several words originating from various locations of the United States and the tribal meaning of their names.
11. Gregory, the Terrible Eater1983-06-2030mToday's subject is goats and what they eat.
12. Three by the Sea1983-06-2130mThree by the Sea
13. Arthur's Eyes1983-06-2230mLaVar explores seeing and our other senses, as Bill Cosby tells the story of how the young aardvark, Arthur Read acquired his pair of glasses.
14. The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash1983-06-2230mThe Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash
15. Ty's One Man Band1983-06-2330mLeVar is ready to find music everywhere, and he does. This show includes the animation Onomatopoeia. Lou Rawls reads the story of Ty's One-Man Band, about a man who teaches a boy how to make music using household items.

Cast

Top Billed Cast

LeVar Burton
Self - Host

Availability

Where To Watch Legally

Stream

PBS Kids Amazon Channel

Buy

Streaming availability data provided by JustWatch.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Reading Rainbow available to watch online?

Yes - see the "Where to watch legally" section on this page for streaming, rental and purchase options.

How many seasons does Reading Rainbow have?

Reading Rainbow has 21 seasons and 155 episodes.

When did Reading Rainbow first air?

Reading Rainbow first aired in 1983.

Is Reading Rainbow still running?

Reading Rainbow's status on TMDB is: Ended.

What genre is Reading Rainbow?

Reading Rainbow is classified as Kids.