Editing Reading Rainbow (section)

==Overview==
===Format===
''Reading Rainbow'' is hosted by actor and executive producer [[LeVar Burton]],<ref>{{Cite news|last=Jones|first=Fred|date=May 19, 1999|title=Learning to Read the Rainbow|work=Tacoma Herald}}</ref> who when the show premiered was then known for his role in ''[[Roots (1977 miniseries)|Roots]]''. The show was produced first by Lancit Media Entertainment (1983–2001), and later On-Screen Entertainment (2002–2006). Every episode features a different children's [[picture book]], often narrated by a celebrity. The featured story's illustrations were scanned by the camera in a technique known as "iconographic animation" of each page shown in succession, although on certain occasions the shots would be animated.

After the featured story, Burton visits many places relating to the episode's theme, often featuring interviews with guests. A notable example is the season 6 premiere episode, which features the book ''The Bionic Bunny Show'' by [[Marc Brown (author)|Marc Brown]] and his wife Laurene, and includes a behind-the-scenes look at the TV series ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', in which Burton was a main cast member.

The last segment of each show, called Book Reviews, begins with Burton's introductory catchphrase, "But you don't have to take my word for it", and features children giving capsule reviews of books they liked. At the end of almost every episode, Burton signs off by telling the audience "I'll see you next time", with a review of the books featured in that episode beginning in season 2.

The series' pilot, which was created and produced in 1981 and aired as the show's 8th episode in 1983, features the book ''[[Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport]]'' by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and is narrated by Doug Parvin. Producer Larry Lancit's daughters, Shaune and Caitlin, were often featured in the series, notably as the children thanking the sponsors at the beginning and end of the show.

===Theme song and opening sequence===
{{listen | pos=right | filename = The Reading Rainbow Theme Song (Butterfly in the Sky).ogg| title = "Reading Rainbow Theme song" | description = Sample of "Reading Rainbow Theme Song"}}
The show's theme song was written by Steve Horelick, Dennis Neil Kleinman, and Janet Weir; the former also served as the series' music director and composer for all 155 episodes and received an Emmy nomination in 2007 for his work on the series. Over the show's 23-year run, it went through three different versions of the theme song. The original theme (used from 1983 to 1999) was performed by Tina Fabrique and featured one of the first uses of the [[Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments|Buchla synthesizer]] in a TV theme song. The original opening sequence, which consisted of an animated butterfly transforming the surroundings of young children reading books into animated fantasy lands, was used until January 1, 1999. The introductory animation was produced by Ovation Films, Inc. and designed and animated by Bill Davis. Some episodes (from 1983 through 1999) have the end credits accompanied by the full version of the 1983–1999 theme song (sung by the same singer, Tina Fabrique), with some episodes (with the said song) repeating two or three times.

On January 4, 1999, episodes began using a new live-action opening sequence and featuring CGI in a new space-themed world, with a new arrangement of the original song by Steve Horelick and performed by [[Johnny Kemp]]. A third intro was used starting on May 8, 2000, with a rerecorded version and the original lyrics performed by R&B artist [[Chaka Khan]]. This opening sequence is mostly the same as the second one, but features footage of Burton in place of some of the animated elements.

===Later years===
Original production of the series was to have ended after April 4, 2005, with the show continuing to air in [[rerun]]s, but Burton said on February 7, 2006, that five new episodes of the show would be shot the same year despite the continuing financial issues of PBS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trektoday.com/news/070206_02.shtml|title=TrekToday - Burton Talks Drama, Diversity, Respect & 'Reading Rainbow'|date=October 3, 2021 }}</ref> The show aired its final original episode on November 10, 2006, and continued to air reruns until August 28, 2009.

Not only was PBS unable to secure enough funds to cover the costs associated with renewing broadcast rights and continuing reruns, the show's core philosophy was challenged as well. ''Reading Rainbow'' prominently featured published books throughout each episode, and licensing those books to be read aloud on the air was costly—an expensive move that producing station WNED decided not to make.<ref>{{cite web |title=LeVar Burton: Criticism Of Reading Rainbow Is 'Bullsh*t' |date=June 4, 2014 |url=https://archive.thinkprogress.org/levar-burton-criticism-of-reading-rainbow-is-bullsh-t-ab292d2c3355/ |publisher=Think Progress |access-date=29 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title='Reading Rainbow' Was Canceled After 26 Years Due to This Sad Reason |date=July 27, 2021 |url=https://www.distractify.com/p/why-did-reading-rainbow-get-canceled |access-date=29 January 2023}}</ref> Prior to the cancellation, the [[Corporation for Public Broadcasting]] and the [[U.S. Department of Education]] provided funds for the production of ''Reading Rainbow'' and a number of other PBS children's series throughout the early 2000s. The "[[Ready-to-Learn]]" grant was designed for television programming that encourages early childhood learning and development. However, under the [[No Child Left Behind Act]], this grant was focused much more narrowly toward programs that teach literacy skills, phonics, and spelling after 2005. Since ''Reading Rainbow'' was originally developed upon fostering a love of reading books, and not necessarily developing reading skills, the funding was redirected toward other programs, and led to the launch of new skills-based programming, like ''[[Super Why!]]'', ''[[WordWorld]]'', and a reboot of ''[[The Electric Company (2009 TV series)|The Electric Company]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the Ready to Learn Grant |url=http://pbskids.org/read/about/rtl-grant.html |access-date=29 January 2023 |archive-date=October 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006100716/http://pbskids.org/read/about/rtl-grant.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In spring 2024, reruns of the show began airing on the free streaming channel [[PBS Retro]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Manfredi |first=Lucas |date=2024-04-24 |title=PBS Launches Ad-Supported Classic TV Channel on Roku {{!}} Exclusive |url=https://www.thewrap.com/pbs-retro-fast-channel-roku-launch/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}</ref> and toward the end 2024 on a free streaming channel on Amazon Prime Video,<ref>{{Cite web |title=PBS and Amazon to Launch Local PBS Stations and PBS KIDS FAST Channels |url=https://www.pbs.org/about/about-pbs/blogs/news/pbs-and-amazon-to-launch-local-pbs-stations-and-pbs-kids-fast-channels/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=About PBS - Main |language=en}}</ref> where it has also been available on demand and through the PBS Kids subscription service.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-14 |title=Watch Reading Rainbow - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie {{!}} Prime Video |website=Amazon |url=https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Rainbow-Give-Mouse-Cookie/dp/B00ZQADHB8 |access-date=2025-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514214856/https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Rainbow-Give-Mouse-Cookie/dp/B00ZQADHB8 |archive-date=May 14, 2024 }}</ref>