Reading Rainbow backdrop
Reading Rainbow poster
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!

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...
  1. Background image for Tight Times
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #1 - Tight Times

    S1:E1

    A young girl's father loses his job.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  2. Background image for Miss Nelson Is Back
    NaN/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."

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  3. Background image for Bea and Mr. Jones
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  4. Background image for Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #4 - Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain

    S1:E4

    Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  5. Background image for Louis the Fish
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #5 - Louis the Fish

    S1:E5

    Louis the Fish

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  6. Background image for Digging Up Dinosaurs
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Reading Rainbow

    READ
  8. Background image for Liang and the Magic Paintbrush
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #7 - Liang and the Magic Paintbrush

    S1:E7

    Liang and the Magic Paintbrush

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  9. Background image for Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  10. Background image for Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe
    NaN/10(0 votes)

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

    S1:E9

    Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  11. Background image for The Gift of the Sacred Dog
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  12. Background image for Gregory, the Terrible Eater
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #11 - Gregory, the Terrible Eater

    S1:E11

    Today's subject is goats and what they eat.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  13. Background image for Three by the Sea
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #12 - Three by the Sea

    S1:E12

    Three by the Sea

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  14. Background image for Arthur's Eyes
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  15. Background image for The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash
    NaN/10(0 votes)

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

    S1:E14

    The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  16. Background image for Ty's One Man Band
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  17. Background image for Hot-Air Henry
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  18. Background image for Simon's Book
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #17 - Simon's Book

    S2:E2

    Simon's Book

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  19. Background image for Ox-Cart Man
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #18 - Ox-Cart Man

    S2:E3

    Ox-Cart Man

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  20. Background image for Mystery on the Docks
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Mystery on the Docks

    S2:E4

    Mystery on the Docks

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  21. Background image for A Chair for My Mother
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #20 - A Chair for My Mother

    S2:E5

    A Chair for My Mother

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  22. Background image for Paul Bunyan
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  23. Background image for The Patchwork Quilt
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #22 - The Patchwork Quilt

    S3:E2

    The Patchwork Quilt

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  24. Background image for Hill of Fire
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Hill of Fire

    S3:E3

    Hill of Fire

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  25. Background image for The Tortoise and the Hare
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  26. Background image for Perfect the Pig
    NaN/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.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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".