Reading Rainbow backdrop
Kids

The Best Episodes of Reading Rainbow

Every episode of Reading Rainbow ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Reading Rainbow!

Journey to exciting places and build a lasting connection with your favorite books. Each episode centers on a theme from a book, or other children's literature, which is explored through a number of segments or

Airs on
PBS
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons21

All123456789101112131415161718192021

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 1 - Tight Times
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - Tight Times

    S1:E1

    A young girl's father loses his job.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 2 - Miss Nelson Is Back
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #2 - Miss Nelson Is Back

    S1:E2

    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."

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 3 - Bea and Mr. Jones
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #3 - Bea and Mr. Jones

    S1:E3

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 4 - Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #4 - Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain

    S1:E4

    Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 5 - Louis the Fish
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #5 - Louis the Fish

    S1:E5

    Louis the Fish

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 6 - Digging Up Dinosaurs
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #6 - Digging Up Dinosaurs

    S1:E6

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Reading Rainbow

    READ
  7. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 7 - Liang and the Magic Paintbrush
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #7 - Liang and the Magic Paintbrush

    S1:E7

    Liang and the Magic Paintbrush

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 8 - Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport

    S1:E8

    In the featured book, a young boy and his family move from New York City to the Southwest and he has many misconceptions about what his new home is like.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 9 - Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #9 - Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe

    S1:E9

    Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 10 - The Gift of the Sacred Dog
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - The Gift of the Sacred Dog

    S1:E10

    The first of many programs favoring Native Americans. In this instance, a Midwestern legend suggests how horses arrived to the tribe. Later in this episode is the song "Ancient Places, Sacred Lands" which lists several words originating from various locations of the United States and the tribal meaning of their names.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 11 - Gregory, the Terrible Eater
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - Gregory, the Terrible Eater

    S1:E11

    Today's subject is goats and what they eat.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 12 - Three by the Sea
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - Three by the Sea

    S1:E12

    Three by the Sea

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 13 - Arthur's Eyes
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - Arthur's Eyes

    S1:E13

    LaVar explores seeing and our other senses, as Bill Cosby tells the story of how the young aardvark, Arthur Read acquired his pair of glasses.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 14 - The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #14 - The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash

    S1:E14

    The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Reading Rainbow Season 1 Episode 15 - Ty's One Man Band
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #15 - Ty's One Man Band

    S1:E15

    LeVar is ready to find music everywhere, and he does. This show includes the animation Onomatopoeia. Lou Rawls reads the story of Ty's One-Man Band, about a man who teaches a boy how to make music using household items.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Reading Rainbow Season 2 Episode 1 - Hot-Air Henry
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #16 - Hot-Air Henry

    S2:E1

    LeVar goes to South Carolina to ride a hot-air balloon. In another study of how air travel has advanced, schoolchildren visit the Space Camp for Aspiring Young Astronauts. William Windom reads the story of Hot-Air Henry, the misadventures of a cat who sneaks on board his family's hot air balloon and how he gets back down again.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Reading Rainbow Season 2 Episode 2 - Simon's Book
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - Simon's Book

    S2:E2

    Simon's Book

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Reading Rainbow Season 2 Episode 3 - Ox-Cart Man
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - Ox-Cart Man

    S2:E3

    Ox-Cart Man

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Reading Rainbow Season 2 Episode 4 - Mystery on the Docks
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Mystery on the Docks

    S2:E4

    Mystery on the Docks

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Reading Rainbow Season 2 Episode 5 - A Chair for My Mother
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - A Chair for My Mother

    S2:E5

    A Chair for My Mother

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Reading Rainbow Season 3 Episode 1 - Paul Bunyan
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - Paul Bunyan

    S3:E1

    Lavar visits a lumberjack camp in the forest. Today's featured book is based on the legend of Paul Bunyan, the giant woodsman.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Reading Rainbow Season 3 Episode 2 - The Patchwork Quilt
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - The Patchwork Quilt

    S3:E2

    The Patchwork Quilt

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Reading Rainbow Season 3 Episode 3 - Hill of Fire
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Hill of Fire

    S3:E3

    Hill of Fire

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Reading Rainbow Season 3 Episode 4 - The Tortoise and the Hare
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - The Tortoise and the Hare

    S3:E4

    LeVar has entered a bicycle race. He's in competition not just with the other bikers, but with himself as well. This program also includes a lengthy piece on a karate class. Comedienne Gilda Radner reads the Aesop's tale of "The Tortoise and the Hare," about an arrogant rabbit that's over confident that he can beat a determined turtle in a foot race.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Reading Rainbow Season 3 Episode 5 - Perfect the Pig
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Perfect the Pig

    S3:E5

    LeVar visits a pig farm in Hawaii to find out why pigs are so popular. He also interviews Kermit the Frog to ask him about his famous girlfriend, Miss Piggy.James Coco reads the story of Perfect the Pig, about a little runt pig who makes a wish to have wings in order to be special, and how he found a special person to be his friend and companion.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"Tight Times" is the best rated episode of "Reading Rainbow". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 6/6/1983. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Miss Nelson Is Back".