We received a copy of the new Reading Rainbow DVD, “Reading Rainbow: Animal Café” to watch and review. We also received a trial membership to the all new Skybrary. Opinions are 100% my own. This is something I was truly excited to get a chance to work with this brand because Reading Rainbow was an amazing series and I am glad that it is available online for my kids to experience. Both of the kids love reading and Eva is already a high level reader at 7 1/2 years old. She’s reading chapter books like they are going out of style. Andrew has expressed a bunch of interest in reading and is making huge progress. Having two readers in the family is excellent especially since Allison and I love reading so much that a floor to ceiling bookshelf was one of the major reasons why we bought the house that we did.
The DVD was a fun introduction to Reading Rainbow for the kids. I liked looking back through the years to New York City. I think we will have many fun conversations around the hair and clothing styles from the past decades. Seeing the books come to life and being read by many famous people was also fun. I look forward to discovering so much more through Skybrary.
Here is some information about the new Reading Rainbow DVD as well as Skybrary.
New DVD – “Reading Rainbow: Animal Café”
The four episodes and books featured in this DVD are “Animal Cafe,” read by Martin Short, “The Tortoise and the Hare,” read by Gilda Radner, “Ludlow Laughs,” read by Phyllis Diller, and “Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message,” read by Nicholson Earl Billey. Airing on PBS from 1983-2009, and hosted by LeVar Burton (“Roots,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation”) for its entire 26-year run, the program garnered more than 200 awards, including 26 Emmys and a Peabody Award. To learning about comedy in one episode, to profiling people who have occupations in the evening and early morning in another, LeVar takes children on fun-filled learning adventures they won’t forget.
“Animal Café” will be available at Target and other retailers starting June 30, 2015. The DVD run time is approximately 120 minutes and its SRP is $6.99. This DVD is available from PBS Distribution.
New Online Service –SKYBRARY
Designed to entice and excite children’s natural sense of curiosity about their world, SKYBRARY delivers an adventure-based unlimited book reading and video field trip experience.
Young readers and pre-readers pilot their own personal hot air balloons among SKYBRARY’S seven unique themed islands, each featuring a wide array of quality literature and video content. These engaging worlds of animals, music, adventure, science, heroes, friends and family feature more than 500 books from esteemed authors and acclaimed publishers, made available to children as “read by myself” or “read to me,” and contain interactive elements that enhance enjoyment while preserving the reading experience. More than 150 newly produced and classic video field trips with host LeVar Burton show children they can “Go Anywhere, Be Anything” as they are taken behind the scenes to places such as the White House, the Los Angeles Ballet, the Grand Canyon and Cirque du Soleil.
SKYBRARY is available at www.readingrainbow.com and offers a 14-day free trial with unlimited access to the complete digital library of books and videos. After the trial period ends, subscription plans are available. SKYBRARY is available from RRKidz.