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Reading Rainbow
1983 · TV Series · TV-Y · 30 min · ★ 8.3
Kids
Reading Rainbow takes you on a journey through exciting places and stories, centered on themes from books and children’s literature. Each episode explores a chosen topic using several segments and stories to spark kids’ curiosity and encourage a love of reading.
Where to watch
Streaming on PBS KIDS — or rent from $1.99.
~84 hours to watch · 167 episodes.
Stream (included)
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Details
- Years
- 1983–2006
- Release date
- 1983-06-06
- Network
- PBS
- Language
- English
- Rated
- TV-Y
- Runtime
- 30 min
- TMDB rating
- 8.3/10 (47 votes)
About
You’ll like Reading Rainbow if you want cheerful, book-focused learning that makes reading feel like an adventure; Not for you if you prefer more modern kids shows like The Magic School Bus or Sesame Street-style formats.
Pros: memorable for kids; fun reading motivation; colorful learning | Cons: feels dated now; can run too childish; less attention than others
Cast & crew
LeVar Burton
as Self - Host
Julia Child
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Ruth Buzzi
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Madeline Kahn
as Self - Narrator (voice)
James Earl Jones
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Vincent Gardenia
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Lauren Tom
as Self - Narrator (voice)
- PM
Patrick McCaffrey
as Self - Narrator (voice)
- DP
Douglas Parvin
as Self - Narrator (voice)
- CM
Carolyn McHanon
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Directed by Ed Wiseman, Larry Lancit
Episodes21 seasons · 167 episodes
Season 115 episodes
- S1E1Tight Times30mAmazon Prime Video
- S1E2Miss Nelson Is Back30mAmazon Prime Video
- S1E3Bea and Mr. Jones30mAmazon Prime Video
- S1E4Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain30mAmazon Prime Video
- S1E5Louis the Fish30m
- S1E6Digging Up Dinosaurs30m
- S1E7Liang and the Magic Paintbrush30m
- S1E8Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport30m
- S1E9Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe30m
- S1E10The Gift of the Sacred Dog30m
- S1E11Gregory, the Terrible Eater30m
- S1E12Three by the Sea30m
- S1E13Arthur's Eyes30m
- S1E14The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash30m
- S1E15Ty's One Man Band30m
Season 25 episodes
- S2E1Hot-Air Henry30mAmazon Prime Video
- S2E2Simon's Book30mAmazon Prime Video
- S2E3Ox-Cart Man30mAmazon Prime Video
- S2E4Mystery on the Docks30mAmazon Prime Video
- S2E5A Chair for My Mother30m
Season 310 episodes
- S3E1Paul Bunyan30mAmazon Prime Video
- S3E2The Patchwork Quilt30mAmazon Prime Video
- S3E3Hill of Fire30mAmazon Prime Video
- S3E4The Tortoise and the Hare30mAmazon Prime Video
- S3E5Perfect the Pig30mAmazon Prime Video
- S3E6Barn DanceAmazon Prime Video
- S3E7Episode 7
- S3E8Episode 8
- S3E9Episode 9
- S3E10Episode 10
Season 415 episodes
- S4E1Animal Cafe30mAmazon Prime Video
- S4E2Alistair in Outer Space30mAmazon Prime Video
- S4E3Feelings30mAmazon Prime Video
- S4E4Watch the Stars Come Out30mAmazon Prime Video
- S4E5Mama Don't Allow30mAmazon Prime Video
- S4E6Space Case30mAmazon Prime Video
- S4E7The Milk Makers30m
- S4E8Imogene's Antlers30m
- S4E9Germs Make Me Sick!30m
- S4E10Abiyoyo30m
- S4E11Episode 11
- S4E12Episode 12
- S4E13Episode 13
- S4E14Episode 14
- S4E15Episode 15
Season 510 episodes
- S5E1The Life Cycle of the Honey Bee30mAmazon Prime Video
- S5E2Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie30mAmazon Prime Video
- S5E3Chickens Aren't the Only Ones30mAmazon Prime Video
- S5E4The Paper Crane30mAmazon Prime Video
- S5E5The Runaway Duck30mAmazon Prime Video
- S5E6A Three Hat Day30m
- S5E7Rumplestiltskin30m
- S5E8Best Friends30m
- S5E9Meanwhile Back at the Ranch30m
- S5E10My Little Island30m
Season 610 episodes
- S6E1The Bionic Bunny Show30mAmazon Prime Video
- S6E2Bugs30mAmazon Prime Video
- S6E3The Robbery at the Diamond Dog Diner30mAmazon Prime Video
- S6E4Brush30mAmazon Prime Video
- S6E5The Purple Coat30mAmazon Prime Video
- S6E6Barn Dance!30mAmazon Prime Video
- S6E7Duncan and Dolores30mAmazon Prime Video
- S6E8Knots on a Counting RopeAmazon Prime Video
- S6E9Mummies Made in Egypt30mAmazon Prime Video
- S6E10Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters30mAmazon Prime Video
Season 710 episodes
- S7E1Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story30mAmazon Prime Video
- S7E2Stay Away from the Junkyard!30mAmazon Prime Video
- S7E3Little Nino's Pizzeria30mAmazon Prime Video
- S7E4Ludlow LaughsAmazon Prime Video
- S7E5Dinosaur Bob and his Adventures with the Family Lazardo30mAmazon Prime Video
- S7E6Dive to the Coral Reefs30mAmazon Prime Video
- S7E7Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus30mAmazon Prime Video
- S7E8Tooth-Gnasher Superflash30mAmazon Prime Video
- S7E9Bored-Nothing to Do!30mAmazon Prime Video
- S7E10Sports Pages30mAmazon Prime Video
Season 85 episodes
- S8E1The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth30mAmazon Prime Video
- S8E2Jack, the Seal and the Sea30mAmazon Prime Video
- S8E3The Bicycle Man30mAmazon Prime Video
- S8E4Florence and Eric Take the Cake30mAmazon Prime Video
- S8E5Sunken Treasure30mAmazon Prime Video
Season 910 episodes
- S9E1Alistair's Time Machine30mAmazon Prime Video
- S9E2The Adventures of Taxi Dog30mAmazon Prime Video
- S9E3The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush30mAmazon Prime Video
- S9E4Galimoto30mAmazon Prime Video
- S9E5Fox on the Job30mAmazon Prime Video
- S9E6Opt: An Illusionary Tale30mAmazon Prime Video
- S9E7Raccoons and Ripe Corn30mAmazon Prime Video
- S9E8The Lady with the Ship on her Head30mAmazon Prime Video
- S9E9Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express30mAmazon Prime Video
- S9E10Snowy Day: Stories and Poems30mAmazon Prime Video
Season 1010 episodes
- S10E1Tar Beach30mAmazon Prime Video
- S10E2The Wall30mAmazon Prime Video
- S10E3Sam The Sea Cow30mAmazon Prime Video
- S10E4Rechenka's Eggs30mAmazon Prime Video
- S10E5Sophie and Lou30mAmazon Prime Video
- S10E6Come a Tide30mAmazon Prime Video
- S10E7The Piggy in the Puddle30mAmazon Prime Video
- S10E8Seahorse Surprises30mAmazon Prime Video
- S10E9Through Moon and Stars and Night Skies30mAmazon Prime Video
- S10E10Berlioz the Bear30mAmazon Prime Video
Season 1110 episodes
- S11E1Amazing Grace30mAmazon Prime Video
- S11E2The Furry News30mAmazon Prime Video
- S11E3Mrs. Katz and Tush30mAmazon Prime Video
- S11E4The Salamander Room30mAmazon Prime Video
- S11E5Silent Lotus30mAmazon Prime Video
- S11E6Follow the Drinking Gourd30mAmazon Prime Video
- S11E7If You Give a Mouse a Cookie30mAmazon Prime Video
- S11E8Is This a House for Hermit Crab?30mAmazon Prime Video
- S11E9And Still the Turtle Watched30mAmazon Prime Video
- S11E10June 29, 199930mAmazon Prime Video
Season 1210 episodes
- S12E1Nosey Mrs. Rat30mAmazon Prime Video
- S12E2Borreguita and the Coyote30mAmazon Prime Video
- S12E3Summer30mAmazon Prime Video
- S12E4Once There Was a Tree30mAmazon Prime Video
- S12E5Appelemando's Dreams30mAmazon Prime Video
- S12E6The Lotus Seed30mAmazon Prime Video
- S12E7Hail to Mail30mAmazon Prime Video
- S12E8Stellaluna30mAmazon Prime Video
- S12E9My Shadow30mAmazon Prime Video
- S12E10Ruth Law Thrills a Nation30mAmazon Prime Video
Season 135 episodes
- S13E1The Wonderful Towers of Watts30m
- S13E2Martha Speaks30m
- S13E3Alejandro's Gift30m
- S13E4The Sign Painter's Dream30m
- S13E5Archibald Frisby30m
Season 145 episodes
- S14E1Fly Away Home30m
- S14E2Uncle Jed's Barber Shop30m
- S14E3How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World30m
- S14E4Owen30m
- S14E5How Much is a Million?30m
Season 157 episodes
- S15E1Always My Dad30m
- S15E2Bread is for Eating30m
- S15E3Hotel Animal30m
- S15E4Someplace Else30m
- S15E5Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin30m
- S15E6Episode 6
- S15E7Episode 7
Season 165 episodes
- S16E1On the Day You Were Born30m
- S16E2Hip Cat30m
- S16E3Regina's Big Mistake30m
- S16E4Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message30m
- S16E5The Carousel30m
Season 175 episodes
- S17E1Math Curse30m
- S17E2My Life with the Wave30m
- S17E3Saturday Sancocho30m
- S17E4When Aunt Lena Did the Rhumba30m
- S17E5Work Song30m
Season 186 episodes
- S18E1The Shaman's Apprentice: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest30m
- S18E2Pet Stories You Don't Have to Walk30m
- S18E3Lemonade For Sale30m
- S18E4The Secret Shortcut30m
- S18E5My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States30m
- S18E6Badger's Parting Gifts30m
Season 194 episodes
- S19E1The Tin Forest30m
- S19E2Max30m
- S19E3Enemy Pie30m
- S19E4Our Big Home: An Earth Poem30m
Season 205 episodes
- S20E1Visiting Day30m
- S20E2Unique Monique30m
- S20E3Mr. George Baker30m
- S20E4Beegu30m
- S20E5Two Old Potatoes and Me30m
Season 215 episodes
- S21E1The Biggest Test in the Universe30m
- S21E2I Lost My Tooth in Africa30m
- S21E3Boxes for Katje30m
- S21E4Game Day30m
- S21E5Show Way30m