Creating Reading Rainbow Book Talk & Signing October 2, Canisius University
Join us for a book talk with the authors of Creating Reading Rainbow: The Untold Story of a Beloved Children’s Series. Barbara Irwin, Tony Buttino Sr., and Pam Johnson will be on hand to reveal some of the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about how Reading Rainbow came to be. This groundbreaking reading motivation series originated right here in Buffalo and was designed to address the decline in reading skills seen over summer breaks from school. Reading Rainbow premiered in 1983 and reached an audience of 6.5 million young viewers in its first season. It went on to become one of the longest running and most impactful PBS children’s television series, in the company of Sesame Street and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The series earned 26 Emmys and a Peabody award, but most importantly, it sparked the passion for reading in generations of children.
