The Untold Story of “Reading Rainbow”

“Reading Rainbow” was one of the most successful PBS children’s series in television history, earning numerous national and international awards, including 26 Emmys and a Peabody Award. But perhaps more important, “Reading Rainbow” helped generations of children cultivate a love for books.

Now, a new book co-authored by Canisius Professor Barbara Irwin, PhD, chronicles the humble beginnings of the TV series, which launched in Buffalo, NY – and how the groundbreaking program came to capture the attention of 6.5 million young viewers.