List of Reading Rainbow episodes
This is the following episode list of Reading Rainbow hosted by longtime executive producer LeVar Burton.
DVD releases
| DVD Name | # of Episodes | Release Date | No. of Discs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Rainbow Favorites | 8 | July 18, 2006 | 4 |
| Reading Rainbow: Family Matters | 2 | July 18, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Man's Best Friend | 2 | July 18, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Ocean Life | 2 | July 18, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Music, Music Everywhere | 2 | July 18, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Let's Go! | 2 | September 12, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: How's That Made? | 2 | September 12, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Birds of a Feather | 2 | September 12, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Desert Life | 2 | September 12, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Sea To Shining Sea – Stories of America | 2 | November 7, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Farm Life | 2 | November 7, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Math Is Everywhere | 2 | November 7, 2006 | 1 |
| Reading Rainbow: Buried Treasures | 2 | November 7, 2006 | 1 |
Episodes
155 half-hour episodes produced.
Season 1: 1983 (15 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 101 | "Tight Times" (narrated by Patrick McCaffrey) | June 6, 1983 |
| 2 | 2 | 102 | "Miss Nelson Is Back" (narrated by Ruth Buzzi) | June 13, 1983 |
| 3 | 3 | 103 | "Bea and Mr. Jones" (narrated by Madeline Kahn) | June 20, 1983 |
| 4 | 4 | 104 | "Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain" (narrated by James Earl Jones) | June 27, 1983 |
| 5 | 5 | 105 | "Louis the Fish" (narrated by Vincent Gardenia) | July 03, 1983 |
| 6 | 6 | 106 | "Digging Up Dinosaurs" (narrated by Linda Gelman) | July 10, 1983 |
| 7 | 7 | 107 | "Liang and the Magic Paintbrush" (narrated by Lauren Tom) | July 17, 1983 |
| 8 | 8 | 108 | "Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport" (Pilot) (narrated by Douglas Parvin) | July 24, 1983 |
| 9 | 9 | 109 | "Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe" (narrated by Carolyn McHanon) | July 31, 1983 |
| 10 | 10 | 110 | "The Gift of the Sacred Dog" (narrated by Michael Ansara) | August 07, 1983 |
| 11 | 11 | 111 | "Gregory the Terrible Eater" (narrated by Marilyn Michaels) | August 14, 1983 |
| 12 | 12 | 112 | "Three by the Sea" (narrated by Chicago City Limits) | August 21, 1983 |
| 13 | 13 | 113 | "Arthur's Eyes" (narrated by Bill Cosby) | September 4, 1983 |
| 14 | 14 | 114 | "The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash" (narrated by Kaleena Kiff and Laura Hicks) | September 11, 1983 |
| 15 | 15 | 115 | "Ty's One-Man Band" (narrated by Lou Rawls) | September 18, 1983 |
Season 2: 1984 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1 | 201 | "Hot-Air Henry" (narrated by William Windom) | September 03, 1984 |
| 17 | 2 | 202 | "Simon's Book" (narrated by Ruby Dee) | September 10, 1984 |
| 18 | 3 | 203 | "Ox-Cart-Man" (narrated by Lorne Greene) | September 17, 1984 |
| 19 | 4 | 204 | "Mystery on the Docks" (narrated by Raul Julia) | September 24, 1984 |
| 20 | 5 | 205 | "A Chair for My Mother" (narrated by Amy Linker) | October 01, 1984 |
Season 3: 1984-1985 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1 | 301 | "Paul Bunyan" (narrated by Buddy Ebsen) | October 08, 1984 |
| 22 | 2 | 302 | "The Patchwork Quilt" (narrated by Isabel Sanford) | October 29, 1984 |
| 23 | 3 | 303 | "Hill of Fire" (narrated by Fernando Escandon) | July 2, 1985 |
| 24 | 4 | 304 | "The Tortoise and the Hare" (narrated by Gilda Radner) | July 3, 1985 |
| 25 | 5 | 305 | "Perfect the Pig" (narrated by James Coco) | July 4, 1985 |
Season 4: 1986 (10 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 1 | 401 | "Animal Café" (narrated by Martin Short) (Season 3 leftover)[1] | June 23, 1986 |
| 27 | 2 | 402 | "Alistair in Outer Space" (narrated by Arnold Stang) | June 30, 1986 |
| 28 | 3 | 403 | "Feelings" (narrated by Raima Evans, Jessica, Laura Haymann, Paul Sidoriak, Jonathan Rose, Timothy Oakes, Jerry David, and Pamela Stogner) | July 07, 1986 |
| 29 | 4 | 404 | "Watch the Stars Come Out" (narrated by Laura Haymann) (Season 3 leftover)[2] | July 14, 1986 |
| 30 | 5 | 405 | "Mama Don't Allow" (narrated by Fred Newman) | July 21, 1986 |
| 31 | 6 | 406 | "Space Case" (narrated by Michael Winslow) | July 28, 1986 |
| 32 | 7 | 407 | "The Milk Makers" (narrated by Alaina Reed) | August 04, 1986 |
| 33 | 8 | 408 | "Imogene's Antlers" (narrated by Imogene Coca) | August 11, 1986 |
| 34 | 9 | 409 | "Germs Make Me Sick!" (narrated by Molly Mandlin) | September 01, 1986 |
| 35 | 10 | 410 | "Abiyoyo" (narrated and sung by Pete Seeger) | September 15, 1986 |
Season 5: 1987 (10 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 1 | 501 | "The Life Cycle of the Honeybee" (narrated by Barbara Feldon) | June 22, 1987 |
| 37 | 2 | 502 | "Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie" (narrated by Sada Thompson) | June 23, 1987 |
| 38 | 3 | 503 | "Chickens Aren't the Only Ones" (narrated by Georgia Engel) | June 24, 1987 |
| 39 | 4 | 504 | "The Paper Crane" (narrated by Keye Luke) | June 25, 1987 |
| 40 | 5 | 505 | "The Runaway Duck" (narrated by Orson Bean) | June 26, 1987 |
| 41 | 6 | 506 | "A Three Hat Day" (narrated by Zelda Rubinstein) | June 29, 1987 |
| 42 | 7 | 507 | "Rumpelstiltskin" (narrated by Ralph Waite) | June 30, 1987 |
| 43 | 8 | 508 | "Best Friends" (narrated by Liza Siegler) | July 1, 1987 |
| 44 | 9 | 509 | "Meanwhile Back at the Ranch" (narrated by Hoyt Axton) | July 2, 1987 |
| 45 | 10 | 510 | "My Little Island" (narrated by Ron Foster) | July 3, 1987 |
Season 6: 1988–89 (10 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | 1 | 601 | "The Bionic Bunny Show" (narrated by Gene Klavan) | August 15, 1988 |
| 47 | 2 | 602 | "Bugs" (narrated by Lori Delgado and Edwin Maldonado, Jr.) | August 16, 1988 |
| 48 | 3 | 603 | "The Robbery at the Diamond Dog Diner" (narrated by Peter Falk) | August 17, 1988 |
| 49 | 4 | 604 | "Brush" (narrated by Hector Elizondo) | August 18, 1988 |
| 50 | 5 | 605 | "The Purple Coat" (narrated by Jack Gilford) | August 19, 1988 |
| 51 | 6 | 606 | "Barn Dance!" (narrated by Roy Clark) | March 27, 1989 |
| 52 | 7 | 607 | "Duncan and Dolores" (narrated by Jane Curtin) | March 28, 1989 |
| 53 | 8 | 608 | "Knots on a Counting Rope" (narrated by J. Ruben Silverbird and Kenneth Blank) | March 29, 1989 |
| 54 | 9 | 609 | "Mummies Made in Egypt" (narrated by Corinne Orr) | March 30, 1989 |
| 55 | 10 | 610 | "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters" (narrated by Phylicia Rashad) | March 31, 1989 |
Season 7: 1989–90 (10 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 | 1 | 701 | "Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story" (narrated by Jane Pauley) | July 3, 1989 |
| 57 | 2 | 702 | "Stay Away from the Junkyard!" (narrated by Michelle Mariano) | July 4, 1989 |
| 58 | 3 | 703 | "Little Nino's Pizzeria" (narrated by Josh Saviano) | July 5, 1989 |
| 59 | 4 | 704 | "Ludlow Laughs" (narrated by Phyllis Diller) | July 6, 1989 |
| 60 | 5 | 705 | "Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo" (narrated by Edward Asner) | July 7, 1989 |
| 61 | 6 | 706 | "Dive to the Coral Reefs" (narrated by Fran Bill) | March 26, 1990 |
| 62 | 7 | 707 | "Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus" (narrated by Philip Basco) | March 27, 1990 |
| 63 | 8 | 708 | "Tooth-Gnasher Superflash" (narrated by Victoria Jackson) | March 28, 1990 |
| 64 | 9 | 709 | "Bored—Nothing to Do!" (narrated by Alex Borg and David Hyman) | March 29, 1990 |
| 65 | 10 | 710 | "Sports Pages" (narrated by LeVar Burton) | March 30, 1990 |
Season 8: 1990 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | 1 | 801 | "The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth" (narrated by Keisha Knight-Pulliam) | September 10, 1990 |
| 67 | 2 | 802 | "Jack, the Seal and the Sea" (narrated by Leslie Uggams) | September 11, 1990 |
| 68 | 3 | 803 | "The Bicycle Man" (narrated by Tom Matsusaka) | September 12, 1990 |
| 69 | 4 | 804 | "Florence and Eric Take the Cake" (narrated by Julia Child) | September 13, 1990 |
| 70 | 5 | 805 | "Sunken Treasure" (narrated by Robert Morse) | September 14, 1990 |
Season 9: 1991 (10 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | 1 | 901 | "Alistair's Time Machine" (narrated by Arnold Stang) | September 16, 1991 |
| 72 | 2 | 902 | "The Adventures of Taxi Dog" (narrated by Vincent Gardenia) | September 17, 1991 |
| 73 | 3 | 903 | "The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush" (narrated by Harold Littlebird) | September 18, 1991 |
| 74 | 4 | 904 | "Galimoto" (narrated by Hattie Winston) | September 19, 1991 |
| 75 | 5 | 905 | "Fox on the Job" (narrated by Fred Newman) | September 20, 1991 |
| 76 | 6 | 906 | "Opt: An Illusionary Tale" (narrated by LeVar Burton) | September 23, 1991 |
| 77 | 7 | 907 | "Raccoons and Ripe Corn" (narrated by Julia Barr) | September 24, 1991 |
| 78 | 8 | 908 | "The Lady with the Ship on Her Head" (narrated by Marilyn Pasekoff) | September 25, 1991 |
| 79 | 9 | 909 | "Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express" (narrated by Brian Dennehy) | September 26, 1991 |
| 80 | 10 | 910 | "Snowy Day: Stories and Poems" (narrated by Lena Horne, Lacey Chabert, and Richard Courtney) | September 27, 1991 |
Season 10: 1992 (10 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81 | 1 | 1001 | "Tar Beach" (narrated by Ruby Dee) | October 5, 1992 |
| 82 | 2 | 1002 | "The Wall" (narrated by Jason Ruggiero) | October 6, 1992 |
| 83 | 3 | 1003 | "Sam the Sea Cow" (narrated by Jason Robards) | October 7, 1992 |
| 84 | 4 | 1004 | "Rechenka's Eggs" (narrated by Viveca Lindfors) | October 8, 1992 |
| 85 | 5 | 1005 | "Sophie and Lou" (narrated by Lola Falana) | October 9, 1992 |
| 86 | 6 | 1006 | "Come a Tide" (narrated by Dixie Carter) | October 12, 1992 |
| 87 | 7 | 1007 | "The Piggy in the Puddle" (narrated by Tovah Feldshuh) | October 13, 1992 |
| 88 | 8 | 1008 | "Seashore Surprises" (narrated by LeVar Burton) | October 14, 1992 |
| 89 | 9 | 1009 | "Through Moon and Stars and Night Skies" (narrated by Andrew Lei) | October 15, 1992 |
| 90 | 10 | 1010 | "Berlioz the Bear" (narrated by James Avery) | October 16, 1992 |
Season 11: 1993 (10 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | 1 | 1101 | "Amazing Grace" (narrated by Tyne Daly) | October 11, 1993 |
| 92 | 2 | 1102 | "The Furry News" (narrated by the cast of Forbidden Broadway and Lee Murphy) | October 12, 1993 |
| 93 | 3 | 1103 | "Mrs. Katz and Tush" (narrated by Reizl Bozyk and Rick English) | October 13, 1993 |
| 94 | 4 | 1104 | "The Salamander Room" (narrated by Lynne Thigpen) | October 14, 1993 |
| 95 | 5 | 1105 | "Silent Lotus" (narrated by Lea Salonga) | October 15, 1993 |
| 96 | 6 | 1106 | "Follow the Drinking Gourd" (narrated by Keith David) | October 18, 1993 |
| 97 | 7 | 1107 | "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" (narrated by Beth Howland) | October 19, 1993 |
| 98 | 8 | 1108 | "Is This a House for Hermit Crab?" (narrated by Eartha Kitt) | October 20, 1993 |
| 99 | 9 | 1109 | "And Still the Turtle Watched" (narrated by Michael Ansara) | October 21, 1993 |
| 100 | 10 | 1110 | "June 29, 1999" (narrated by Charles Kimbrough) | October 22, 1993 |
Season 12: 1994 (10 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 1 | 1201 | "Nosey Mrs. Rat" (narrated by Faith Prince) | October 3, 1994 |
| 102 | 2 | 1202 | "Borreguita and the Coyote" (narrated by Olga Merediz) | October 4, 1994 |
| 103 | 3 | 1203 | "Summer" (narrated by Ossie Davis) | October 5, 1994 |
| 104 | 4 | 1204 | "Once There Was a Tree" (narrated by Eli Wallach) | October 6, 1994 |
| 105 | 5 | 1205 | "Appelemando's Dreams" (narrated by Michael Learned) | October 7, 1994 |
| 106 | 6 | 1206 | "The Lotus Seed" (narrated by Rona Figueroa) | October 10, 1994 |
| 107 | 7 | 1207 | "Hail to Mail" (narrated by Al Roker) | October 11, 1994 |
| 108 | 8 | 1208 | "Stellaluna" (narrated by Anne Jackson) | October 12, 1994 |
| 109 | 9 | 1209 | "My Shadow" (narrated by Robert Guillaume) | October 13, 1994 |
| 110 | 10 | 1210 | "Ruth Law Thrills a Nation" (narrated by Linda Lavin) | October 14, 1994 |
Season 13: 1995 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | 1 | 1301 | "The Wonderful Tower of Watts" (narrated by Angela Bassett) | October 2, 1995 |
| 112 | 2 | 1302 | "Martha Speaks" (narrated by Jo Hayden) | October 3, 1995 |
| 113 | 3 | 1303 | "Alejandro's Gift" (narrated by Francisco Rivela) | October 4, 1995 |
| 114 | 4 | 1304 | "The Sign Painter's Dream" (narrated by Jamie Farr) | October 5, 1995 |
| 115 | 5 | 1305 | "Archibald Frisby" (narrated by Arnold Stang) | October 6, 1995 |
Season 14: 1996 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116 | 1 | 1401 | "Fly Away Home" (narrated by Daniel Saltzman) | April 8, 1996 |
| 117 | 2 | 1402 | "Uncle Jed's Barbershop" (narrated by Regina Taylor) | April 9, 1996 |
| 118 | 3 | 1403 | "How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World" (narrated by Helen Mirren) | April 10, 1996 |
| 119 | 4 | 1404 | "Owen" (narrated by Matthew Broderick) | April 11, 1996 |
| 120 | 5 | 1405 | "How Much Is a Million?" (narrated by Nick Sullivan) | April 12, 1996 |
Season 15: 1996 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 121 | 1 | 1501 | "Always My Dad" (narrated by BJ Crosby) | October 7, 1996 |
| 122 | 2 | 1502 | "Bread Is for Eating" (narrated by Cecilia Arana) | October 8, 1996 |
| 123 | 3 | 1503 | "Hotel Animal" (narrated by John Cunningham) | October 9, 1996 |
| 124 | 4 | 1504 | "Someplace Else" (narrated by Carol Kane) | October 10, 1996 |
| 125 | 5 | 1505 | "Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin" (narrated by Gregory Hines) | October 11, 1996 |
Season 16: 1997 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 126 | 1 | 1601 | "On the Day You Were Born" (narrated by Patrick Stewart) | April 7, 1997 |
| 127 | 2 | 1602 | "Hip Cat" (narrated by Ann Duquesnay) | April 8, 1997 |
| 128 | 3 | 1603 | "Regina's Big Mistake" (narrated by Anna Holbrooks) | April 9, 1997 |
| 129 | 4 | 1604 | "Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message" (narrated by Nicholson Earl Billey) | April 10, 1997 |
| 130 | 5 | 1605 | "The Carousel" (narrated by Sarah Hubbard) | April 11, 1997 |
Season 17: 1998 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 131 | 1 | 1701 | "Math Curse" (narrated by Michelle Trachtenberg) | October 5, 1998 |
| 132 | 2 | 1702 | "My Life with the Wave" (narrated by Scott Irby Ranier) | October 6, 1998 |
| 133 | 3 | 1703 | "Saturday Sancocho" (narrated by Jose de Guzman) | October 7, 1998 |
| 134 | 4 | 1704 | "When Aunt Lena Did the Rhumba" (narrated by Lucie Arnaz) | October 8, 1998 |
| 135 | 5 | 1705 | "Worksong" (narrated by David Canary) | October 9, 1998 |
Season 18: 2000–2001 (6 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 136 | 1 | 1801 | "The Shaman's Apprentice: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest" (narrated by Susan Sarandon) | October 23, 2000 |
| 137 | 2 | 1802 | "Pet Stories You Don't Have to Walk" (narrated by Jason Alexander) | November 20, 2000 |
| 138 | 3 | 1803 | "Lemonade for Sale" (narrated by Andrea McArdle) | January 19, 2001 |
| 139 | 4 | 1804 | "The Secret Shortcut" (narrated by Tim Conway) | February 16, 2001 |
| 140 | 5 | 1805 | "My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States" (narrated by Nikki Giovanni) | March 16, 2001 |
| 141 | 6 | 1806 | "Badger's Parting Gifts" (narrated by Ruby Dee) | April 20, 2001 |
Season 19: 2002 (4 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 142 | 1 | 1901 | "The Tin Forest" (narrated by Jeff Bridges) | September 2, 2002 |
| 143 | 2 | 1902 | "Max" (narrated by Regina King and Ian Desdone) | September 3, 2002 |
| 144 | 3 | 1903 | "Enemy Pie" (narrated by Ed Harris) | September 5, 2002 |
| 145 | 4 | 1904 | "Our Big Home: An Earth Poem" (narrated by Naomi Judd) | September 6, 2002 |
Season 20: 2004–2005 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146 | 1 | 2001 | "Visiting Day" (narrated by Alfre Woodard) | December 15, 2004 |
| 147 | 2 | 2002 | "Unique Monique" (narrated by Eliza Dushku) | December 16, 2004 |
| 148 | 3 | 2003 | "Mr. George Baker" (narrated by George Baker) | December 17, 2004 |
| 149 | 4 | 2004 | "Beegu" (narrated by Freddie Prinze, Jr.) | January 20, 2005 |
| 150 | 5 | 2005 | "Two Old Potatoes and Me" (narrated by Jordan Puryear) | January 21, 2005 |
Season 21: 2006 (5 episodes)
| No. in season | No. in series | Production code | Title | Original air date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | 1 | 2101 | "The Biggest Test in the Universe" (narrated by Richard Gere) | November 6, 2006 |
| 152 | 2 | 2102 | "I Lost My Tooth in Africa" | November 7, 2006 |
| 153 | 3 | 2103 | "Boxes for Katje" (narrated by Elizabeth Jute) | November 8, 2006 |
| 154 | 4 | 2104 | "Game Day" (narrated by James Avery) | November 9, 2006 |
| 155 | 5 | 2105 | "Show Way" (narrated by Diahann Carroll) | November 10, 2006 |