‎Reading Rainbow - Apple TV

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Take a look, it’s in a book, a Reading Rainbow! For over 30 years, this beloved children’s television series has been bringing stories to life. Hosted by acclaimed actor LeVar Burton, journey to exciting places and build a lasting connection with your favorite books — but you don’t have to take our word for it.

Educational · 1983 · 26 min

Starring LeVar Burton

EPISODE 1

Tight Times

What can you do with very little money? That's what the featured book and LeVar must face. To set the tone for the entire series, LeVar shows a friend a wealth of fun at the local library. Patrick McCaffrey reads Tight Times, a story about how a little boy talks his parents into letting him adopt a stray cat even though they have to make budget cuts after the father is laid off from his job. In this unedited, original episode of Reading Rainbow, join LeVar Burton on an educational and entertaining adventure through classic books, video field trips and the always favorite "kid book reviews."

25 min · Jun 6, 1983
EPISODE 2

Miss Nelson Is Back

As 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."

28 min · Jun 7, 1983
EPISODE 3

Bea and Mr. Jones

LeVar 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. In this unedited, original episode of Reading Rainbow, join LeVar Burton on an educational and entertaining adventure through classic books, video field trips and the always favorite "kid book reviews."

27 min · Jun 8, 1983
EPISODE 4

Bring the Rain to Kapiti

How do you envision the rain, or any kind of weather? Some of the things to ask about in this show of weather legends. When LeVar's plans of attending a picnic and softball game are derailed by a downpour, he decides to stay home to read a few books instead. James Earl Jones reads Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain, an African story written in the style of "The House That Jack Built," about how one action leads to another to help bring water to a drought torn region. In this unedited, original episode of Reading Rainbow, join LeVar Burton on an educational and entertaining adventure through classic books, video field trips and the always favorite "kid book reviews."

28 min · Jun 9, 1983
EPISODE 5

Louis the Fish

Starting at the New England Aquarium, LeVar gets into a lengthy observation of aquatic life. Vincent Gardenia reads the story of Louis the Fish, a fanciful tale of a man, forced to take over his family's butcher business but secretly longing to take care of fish instead, wakes up one morning to find he magically turned into a giant salmon. In this unedited, original episode of Reading Rainbow, join LeVar Burton on an educational and entertaining adventure through classic books, video field trips and the always favorite "kid book reviews."

27 min · Jun 10, 1983
EPISODE 6

Digging Up Dinosaurs

What is with this unfunny dinosaur, thinking he can do stand-up comedy on a dinosaur (of a) program? Technically 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. In this unedited, original episode of Reading Rainbow, join LeVar Burton on an educational and entertaining adventure through classic books, video field trips and the always favorite "kid book reviews."

28 min · Jun 13, 1983

LeVar Burton

Self