Reading Rainbow Makes a 21st Century Comeback

CREDIT: Reading Rainbow View full size image

For those with fond memories of Reading Rainbow, you may soon have the chance to relive them. Levar Burton, host of the show plans to give the brand an update by creating an educational iPad app.

According to an article from Fast Company, the app will contain voice-over-enhanced children's books, videos of Burton at places like NASA, and games. Reading Rainbow was initially created to get kids interested in books, and Burton hopes that this app will help inspire a new generation of children.

The app includes hand-selected stories that have been given a digital upgrade with voice-overs and light animation. The expansive digital library, which will launch with 300 books, is a set of games and professionally produced videos, with Burton in the familiar role of curious investigator.

For the topic of space, Burton says he recorded video at NASA during the penultimate launch of the Atlantis space shuttle .

Burton’s company, RRKidz has already developed a process that will enable them to add 35 books a month.  The app itself will launch as a monthly subscription model, so kids can explore unlimited titles as their interests expand.

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