Loving to Read

To Combat Summer Reading Slumps, This Timeless Children’s Television Show Tried to Bridge the Literacy Gap With the Magic of Stories by Kayla Randall
Smithsonian Institution, July 15, 2025

Many readers, at least in North America, will remember Reading Rainbow, hosted by LeVar Burton. The long-running series was originally developed to combat the "summer slide," not so much "about learning to read, but about loving to read." This was accomplished through trips to locations that highlighted the books' settings, book reviews by children, and Burton’s own charisma. Reading Rainbow, cancelled in 2006 after 23 years and 26 Emmy Awards, is an example of the role public broadcasting can play in supporting children’s interest in reading. The article references a study that Reading Rainbow was named by a higher percentage of teachers than any other program for educational use in 1996-97. Ironically, despite the many accolades, including a Peabody, the original proposal was rejected. In addition to the Smithsonian article, the series is also the subject of a 2022 documentary, Butterfly in the Sky (available, at the time of publication, on Netflix and Prime streaming platforms). While the original show ended almost two decades ago, contemporary themes are raised, including efforts to defund American public broadcasting, censorship, and the competition for young people’s attention, first with television and then with computers. Reading Rainbow is back with new episodes, available on YouTube, and a new host, Mychal The Librarian.