In this episode of the "Reading Rainbow," Levar Burton visits with The Bill Saxton Quartet and Saxophonist Joshua Redman. We learn about jazz and the concept of improvisation. Books featured in this episode include: "Hip Cat", "Conga Crocodile", "Charlie Parker Played BeBop", and "Willie Jerome."

Hip Cat

LeVar Burton

Regina's Big Mistake

On the Day You Were Born

How babies are born is explored, in great detail, in this episode, as a family welcoming their fourth child is profiled during the last few weeks before delivery. Patrick Stewart reads a poem about how special each person is when they come into the world, and how every birth should be celebrated.

As LeVar works to make a clay model of his childhood home as a birthday gift for his mother, artists and their different mediums are profiled. Anna Holbrooks reads the story of Regina, who frets about making the perfect drawing in art class, and gets frustrated when her classmates accuse her of copying them when she has difficulty deciding what to draw after the teacher gives the class a theme.

LeVar discusses how people show gratitude for kind acts and how we can repay each other in acts of kindness to spread good will in the world. Nicholson Earl Billey reads the featured story, a poem of greeting that Native Americans say each day to bless the earth and pray for all the gifts they have been given by respecting the planet.

Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message

This episode of "Reading Rainbow," teaches a lesson about legacies. The book "Carousel", narrated by Sarah Hubbard, shows that a legacy is a special gift passed down from generation to generation. Other books recommended are "The Long Silk Strand", "The Always Prayer Shawl", and "Up and Down on the Merry Go Round."

The Carousel

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 stories.

Hip Cat

Seasons21

Season 16 Episodes5

Cast1

Discussion

Episode Summary