Reading Rainbow

LeVar pays a visit to a family friend, who is Jewish, to learn how to prepare special foods served during a Seder dinner, like Challah bread and potato latkes. Reizyl Bozyk and Rick English read the featured story of an elderly Jewish lady and how she befriends her neighbor's young son after she is widowed and he gives her a pet cat to keep her company.

LeVar explores the rain forest and animals in their habitats by visiting a park that recreates the rain forest environment artificially. Lynne Thigpen reads The Salamander Room, about a little boy who finds a small newt while on a nature walk, and all the rationalizing he does to convince his mother to let him keep the salamander as a pet by turning his bedroom into a model rain forest.

This episode takes a look-in at deaf culture. LeVar discusses forms of communication that doesn't involve words, like hand signals, mime, and gestures. He also asks a friend who is a deaf actress to teach him some sentences in sign language. Lea Salonga reads the featured story of a shy young girl in Cambodia, whose parents realized her lack of communication was due to being a deaf mute.

LeVar reflects on a time when Africans were brought to America as slaves. He talks about how African-Americans risked their lives for freedom. Keith David reads the featured story, "Follow the Drinking Gourd," which was in fact a coded message to slaves giving them instructions on how to take the Underground Railroad north to states that abolished slavery.

LeVar discusses how people can help to preserve animals and plants in nature that are in danger of extinction. Michael Ansara narrates an unusual story, told from the viewpoint of a turtle sculpture carved in a rock, and how he wishes to preserve the history of Manatoo native Americans, despite being vandalized and thought to be ignored by later generations after he was carved.

What's fact and what's fiction? What's the truth and what's absurd? LeVar looks into unusual stories and tries to distinguish the actual news from fabrications. Charles Kimbrough reads a story about a young girl's science experiment to grow vegetable seeds in space, and how weeks later the country was inundated with giant plants falling from the sky.

Observing people is the theme of the day, as LeVar finds himself with time to kill before a business meeting and chooses to watch children at a playground while he waits. Dr. Jane Goddall talks about her work with the chimpanzees in Tanzania's Gombe National Park, and Faith Prince narrates the episode's story.

LeVar spends the day in a barrio in East Los Angeles studying Mexican culture as he visits friends who make their own guitars, eats traditional food, and discusses the cultural differences in Mexico and the US. LeVar meets up with the popular Latin rock band, Los Lobos. Olga Merediz reads Borreguita and the Coyote, the tale of a clever lamb who continually outsmarts a coyote determined to eat her.

There is still use to a tree stump, as the feature book entails. Eli Wallach reads the story about the lifetime of a tree, and how different animals and people made use of the tree during its many stages, from sapling to tall tree to a cut down stump.

Creativity is the theme as LeVar spends the day painting a mural and other artwork. Michael Learned tells the story of Appelemondo, a boy whose daydreams were so vivid that they could be seen developing above his head, and how his friends learned how to capture the dreams to make beautiful paintings to decorate their town.

Young people who emigrated to the United States from Asian countries are interviewed and discuss fitting in with other children their age while dealing with language and cultural barriers. Rona Figueroa reads the story of The Lotus Seed, about a woman who flees her native country during wartime and manages to save only one memento, a lotus seed given to her by her mother.

Al Roker reads the story about how mail is delivered all around the world by following a letter that keeps getting forwarded every time it misses reaching the addressee, who is moving around on a long term trip.

Bats are explored in this episode, showing the different kinds and their natural habitats. Anne Jackson reads Stellaluna, about a baby fruit bat who gets separated from her mother and accidentally falls into a bird's nest, and gets adopted by the mother bird.

Once again the show looks into firsts in air travel, recounting great pilots such as Bessie Coleman, Amelia Earhart and the featured book's heroine, Ruth Law. Linda Lavin narrates the story of Ruth Law, who traveled from Chicago to New York City in a single engine airplane, without benefit of headlights to keep the weight down, in the early 20th century, in two days.

Luke, LeVar’s favorite pooch, steps to the forefront and takes over the show. As a result, viewers get a dog’s eye view of life, and get to meet some incredible canine daredevils who prove that a dog is truly a kids best friend - no bones about it! Jo Haden reads a story about Martha, a dog who eats a can of alphabet soup and suddenly discovers she can talk!

LeVar visits Indian Canyons to learn how Native American Indians lived near a desert oasis, and why water is such a precious thing for our planet. Francisco Rivela reads Alejandro's Gift, a story about a man who lives in the desert and decides to build an oasis for the animals that come to his garden to drink, but run away when he tries to be friendly.

LeVar is back in New York (as he always seems to be), this time on Broadway. It's a sign mecca, and part of this program shows the making of a huge advertisement. Jamie Farr tells the story about a cranky sign painter who has a revelation about his job when he's asked to commission a sign for free as a good gesture.

LeVar gets in his share of scientific method while at an amusement park. Along the way, we learn how different kinds of scientists find answers to their own questions. Arnold Stang reads the featured tale about a young boy, obsessed with science and mathematics, whose mother sends him to summer camp to help him improve his social skills, but his scientific knowledge helps him learn even more.

Homelessness is discussed as families have lost homes through tragic circumstances. One family, who lost their home in a fire and now reside in a shelter, is profiled. Daniel Saltzman reads Fly Away Home, the story of a young boy and his father who secretly live at the airport after the father lost his job. The little boy finds a lost bird flying around the terminal and helps it get back outside.

LeVar visits his favorite barbershop for a trim, and reads the featured book while waiting his turn. Regina Taylor tells the story of how Uncle Jed, who had a dream of owning his own barbershop and kept saving up despite several financial setbacks, including the bank crash at the start of the Great Depression, finally achieved his goal at the age of 79.