An exploration of the depth of a father's love, and his attempts to keep his son happy, healthy and safe in a world rife with racism and violence.

This is one of the best and most impactful episodes of the podcast so far.

Propaganda below the cut:

Mr. Reading Rainbow reads you a short story! The stories are diverse and thoughtful, across a wide range of genres.

Alternatively; you have any audiobook recommendations? Or hell, just recommendationsin general - just anything that you think more people should see, read, play whatever?

I will answer both of these so here we go:

I am a big fan of the LeVar Burton Reads podcast. It has introduced me to a lot of new authors and a lot of great short stories.

I also recently listened to the audiobook of “The City We Became” by N.K. Jeminsin and really enjoyed it. The story was dynamic and the narrator did a great job making the characters feel distinct. Recommend if you like urban fantasy.

Also this isn’t audio but I’m a big comic book person so I will recommend: “The Wicked and the Divine” by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. Not sure how to describe it tbh other than a psychedelic wild ride of identity exploration and musings on the meaning of art and artists. Imo a masterpiece.

LeVar Burton as Honorary Chair for Banned Books Week 2023

October 1-7 is being celebrated as Banned Books Week 2023!

Today (October 4) at 8:00pm EST, actor, Star Trek star, and long-time activist for the freedom of access to literature and knowledge LeVar Burton will be headlining a Live event with Banned Books Week Youth Honorary Chair Da'Taeyevon Daniels about book censorship and literary activism.

The event will be streamed on Instagram, @banned_books_week!!!

"Books bring us together. They teach us about the world and each other. The ability to read and access books is a fundamental right and a necessity for life-long success." - LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton Reads Podcast | The Right to Read Documentary by Jackie Mackenzie, executive produced by LeVar Burton

More information about LeVar Burton & Banned Books Week

Support the American Library Association!

“Sin Eater” by Ian R. MacLeod

I recently listened to the LeVar Burton Reads episode on "The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library" by Tobi Ogundiran. And I have a question. Is that the library of Carcosa?

Hell yeah!

I was today years old. That is disgusting.

No Child Left Behind is one of the worst things to ever be incentivized in schools. It was signed into law when I was 14. Reading Rainbow was my show as a kid. LeVar Burton played a big part in why I became an avid reader to date. The joy of it. It's an adventure around the globe and through different time periods without stepping on a plane or time machine.

Children parrot behavior. In grade school, I always wanted to read the same amount of books as my teachers (50 books) and managed to double that each year. Before No Child Left Behind, book fairs and Scholastic catalogs were a serious matter like your grandma's Fingerhut catalogs. Libraries were (and still are) a wonderland.

Reading comprehension and proficiency in schools has been declining for decades. A crisis. The joy of books isn't pushed anymore and I'm always saddened by it. It's one of the reasons why I post my book reviews and recommendations on here, as well as posts from others to encourage reading and (novel) writing. Kids will parrot your behavior while the education system sadly fails to return as that example.

A young Black musician is heckled by a group of white fraternity brothers, asking him to play "Dixie." His response surprises everyone, including himself.

BUTTERFLY IN THE SKY trailer A documentary about LeVar Burton's Reading Rainbow

really recommend getting into reading, especially if you're reaching an age as a young adult where it seems like it'd be way harder to read for pleasure as opposed all the other methods of entertainment and various time sinks that become or have already been a large part of our lives. It doesn't matter if it's a novel, non-fiction, YA chapter books, fanfiction, manga, etc - it's pretty good to do. Even if you are learning a language or developing your literacy by reading books for young children, that's great too! The "level" you are at doesn't matter, as long as you are enjoying yourself and/or learning and growing, especially if you're doing so on your own terms

Read a fucking book.

Muppet Fact #752

Kermit the Frog was a guest on an episode of Reading Rainbow in 1985. LeVar Burton ran into Kermit in the library, specifically the section about pigs.

Source:

Reading Rainbow. Episode 3.5: "Perfect the Pig." July 5, 1985.

Twitter is having a normal one about this