Reading Rainbow

I started watching Reading Rainbow when I first started to speak English. I've always thought it was a fun and creative show. It made reading better, and more enjoyable. It helped kids like me, to read better, understand books and love books. Also, with Burton as a great host, he helped it even more. Every episode was great to watch, and I liked it when they should us other cultures and how things work in the real world.

If your child needs a show to watch, take it from me, a 17 year old boy: Get them away from those violent TV shows where they won't learn a thing, get them to watch Reading Rainbow. They'll thank you in the latter years...I have.

This show, at least in it's current state, is better than 99% of the crap one will find on network tv. I've seen up close pottery making by Indians in the mid-west, examined the inner workings of the largest galactic telescope in the world in Puerto Rico, and otherwise been very entertained and informed from the times I've caught this show just before Charlie Rose came on.

Levar does a nice job of imparting important virtues to kids - RESPECT for creativity and craft, your elders, the environment... what more could you ask for, in an age when parents take NO responsibility for raising kids and kids have no respect even for human life??

As far as the books reviewed, I can't vouch for this, but I've always left with a good, warm feeling about people every time I watch this show, (and I usually feel like heaving when I see the other crap on tv).

I say, 'KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!'

While it has been years since I used to religiously watch 'Reading Rainbow,' I do remember how much I loved it.

Each episode had a particular theme such as teaching kids about different occuptaions or perhaps places. The show's charismatic host, LaVar Burton might travel to a factory to show kids how cheese is made, or play co-pilot in an airplane. So, each episode, provided something different about the world and the people in it to kids, giving them a very diversified and educational show. Additionally, the show would end with suggested reading for people interested in the show's themes. And these books were usually presented with a brief review from kids. I remember our library even had a section of books that had appeared on Reading Rainbow.

LaVar Burton's educational journeys were not the only part of the show. They also read a book during each episode, which was read either by Mr. Burton or by some celebrity reader (I remember James Earl Jones read one of my favorite books about a young African boy who was a rainmaker, though the name escapes me), and they displayed the pictures on the screen. I think they displayed it with the words so you could read along, but I don't remember. I know it wasn't like watching a storyteller sit and read the book to a bunch of kids and showing them the book. You actually got to see the book yourself while the voice was dubbed along. It was a good show that encouraged reading and interest in a whole lot of things. Then again, PBS had a lot of shows like that at the time--Math Net (a take on Dragnet in which the detectives used math to solve each mystery); Square One (a variety educational program); 3-2-1 Contact (which I don't remember much, except for the name); and so forth.

If they don't run the reruns or if Reading Rainbow has retired long ago, I wish that they would try to get kids interested in that again. It did more than just trying to encourage kids to read, it tried to teach them about a lot of different things. I still remember the show that took you inside of a macaroni manufacturing plant and a crayon manufacturing plant. It was cool.

I loved this show as a child. I am a teacher's Aide now for kindergarten students and they watch this show during library! They love it! I am so glad that this show still exists! When I was a child in the early 80s,the media had became a big part of children's lives, and its even more so now. Computers, video games, and fast paste shows, are great but they tend to take children's attention span away, which makes school less enjoyable even for the brightest children. Fortunately, in this show, the media puts children's books to life motivating children to read, which is perfect for children in this technical society! As an education major, I am really glad to have this opportunity to support this show!

I was rewatching this today after not seeing for at least 18 years, btw I am 27 years old now and still love heartwarming kid stuff. There's nothing wrong with being innocent and jolly no matter what age! Great vast info to learn in each episode and hilarious with the sound effects. I love everything about classics like this!