Let’s face it, kids today are slackers. They don’t like to read what with so many other forms of media at their disposal. The truth is, Reading Rainbow, an old PBS program hosted by Geordi La Forge LeVar Burton, is a big reason why many of my peers continued reading during the 3 months of summer vacation growing up. It made books fun, exciting, and opened up a world that wouldn’t otherwise be available to kids growing up in Bed-Stuy/Williamsburg (circa 1990). The series won awards and changed lives throughout it’s 23-year run; well today we have great news: It’s back and coming to the iPad!
Burton will be the Curator in Chief of RRKidz, a for-profit company that will develop the Reading Rainbow app. The app will be a subscription based model that for an undisclosed monthly fee, will offer kids a chance to read additional books, get new episodes, and other enhanced content. This folks is the Reading Rainbow for the internet generation.
Already set for release is a tour of NASA’s facilities just before the penultimate (Reading Rainbow word) Shuttle launch. It stars Burton doing what we all grew up with him doing – being the inquisitive host that takes kids some place very cool and hopefully gets them on the path to broadening their horizons.
I’m going to stop gushing about this I really am. But not now, right now I’m looking forward to this app.
Hat tip to Killahkazx
Source: FastCompany
Before Geordi, he was Kunta, a performance that deserves great praise. Changed my life, kinda.
Dont you mean TOBY!