Reading Rainbow

On my Bridge page several years ago I began to keep track of the bedtime read aloud stories I'm doing with Zac (from age 3 onward). I also thought it would be useful to keep track of what he's been allowed to watch on screens.

Summer After First Grade - age 7

TV Shows
Peg + Cat (PBS Kids)
Reading Rainbow (PBS Kids)

I picked Reading Rainbow because it's gentle and because I remember watching it at my Auntie's house when I was little. But I was pleasantly surprised to see how much it has connected to our first grade block on the Professions. He has really enjoyed seeing the footage of people at work.

Complete list of Reading Rainbow episodes - Wikipedia

Because I like to keep track of things, I just had to make a blog post!!!!
Here are the featured books for each episode we've watched so far... along with the three extra books recommended during the course of the episode.

Tight Times
June 5, 1983
the very first episode!

Bea and Mr. Jones
June 7, 1983

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
June 8, 1983
note: this story is available online as a PDF here

Louis the Fish
June 9, 1983

Digging Up Dinosaurs
June 12, 1983

even though the scientific information in this episode is out of date, the footage at Dinosaur National Monument in Jensen UT is wonderful

Liang and the Magic Paintbrush
June 13, 1983

Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport
June 14, 1983

Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe
June 15, 1983

The Gift of the Sacred Dog
June 16, 1983

we really liked the "Ancient Places, Sacred Lands" song

Gregory, the Terrible Eater
June 19, 1983

Three by the Sea
June 20, 1983

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash
June 22, 1983

Ty's One-man Band
June 23, 1983

Hot-air Henry
September 2, 1984

Simon's Book
September 3, 1984

this episode is wonderful to go with the Montessori 4th Great Lesson, the Story of Written Language

Ox-cart Man
September 4, 1984

note to self: this is the Old Sturbridge Village episode

Mystery on the Docks
September 5, 1984

A Chair for My Mother
September 6, 1984

Perfect the Pig
June 4, 1985

Paul Bunyan
June 30, 1985

The Patchwork Quilt
July 1, 1985

Being Adopted by Maxine Rosenberg

Hill of Fire
July 2, 1985

The Tortoise and the Hare
July 3, 1985

Animal Cafe
June 23, 1986

Alistair in Outer Space
June 24, 1986

Feelings
June 25, 1986

Watch the Stars Come Out
June 26, 1986

Mama Don't Allow
June 27, 1986

The Milk Makers
June 30, 1986

Baby Animals on the Farm by Hans-Heinrich Isenbart

From Blossom to Honey by Ali Mitgutsch

Imogene's Antlers
July 1, 1986

Germs Make Me Sick!
July 2, 1986

Abiyoyo
July 3, 1986

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch
June 1, 1987

Bossyboots by David Cox

The Life Cycle of the Honeybee
June 1, 1987

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie
June 2, 1987

Chickens Aren't the Only Ones
June 3, 1987

The Paper Crane
June 4, 1987

"Paper" Through the Ages by Shaaron Cosner

The Runaway Duck
June 5, 1987

Best Friends
June 30, 1987

My Little Island
July 2, 1987

A Three Hat Day
July 27, 1987

The Robbery at the Diamond Dog Diner
August 16, 1988

Brush
August 17, 1988

Barn Dance
March 26, 1989

Little Nino's Pizzeria
July 4, 1989

Ludlow Laughs
July 6, 1989

Make Me Laugh Joke Books (series)

Sports Pages
March 29, 1990

Tar Beach
October 4, 1992

The Piggy in the Puddle
October 12, 1992

Rumpelstiltskin
December 14, 1992

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
October 19, 1993

note to self: this is the bowling (and dominoes) episode

Is This a House for Hermit Crab?
October 20, 1993

Summer
October 4, 1994

My Shadow
October 12, 1994

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
April 9, 1996

Owen
April 11, 1996

Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
October 10, 1996

Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message
April 10, 1997

contains the cranberry farm footage from the Summer episode (October 4, 1994)

Pet Stories You Don't Have to Walk
November 19, 2000

Mr. George Baker
January 18, 2005

Two Old Potatoes and Me
April 28, 2005

There have been a few episodes where the themes were too scary or intense:

- The Tin Forest (Sep 1, 2002) is about 9/11.

- Miss Nelson Is Back (Jun 6, 1983) has several scary masks and LeVar gets sawed in half.

- We also didn't like the alien movie footage in Space Case (Jun 29, 1986).

- Lastly, although it's a wonderful book, The Wonderful Towers of Watts episode (Oct 1, 1995) is about gang violence.

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