READING RAINBOW Doc BUTTERFLY IN THE SKY Gives ‘Inside Look’ at Show
By Movieguide® Contributor
BUTTERFLY IN THE SKY, a documentary about the popular children’s series READING RAINBOW, gives an inside look at the show.
The documentary “takes audiences behind the scenes of the children’s series and tells the story of the show’s creators, who believed the small screen could inspire a love of reading,” Variety shared, adding that it “spotlights the show’s host LeVar Burton and gives an inside look at the challenges he and the show’s creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television.”
Directors Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb both grew up watching READING RAINBOW, which influenced their desire to tell the show’s story.
“Having both grown up in Texas, READING RAINBOW not only reflected the diverse cultures that surrounded us, but LeVar Burton also introduced us to other worlds in colorful and magical ways,” Thomason and Whitcomb said in a statement about the doc. “We believe READING RAINBOW is among the most important shows ever produced and a true unsung hero of children’s programming. It’s important for us to honor its legacy and teach a new generation about this milestone in television history.”
A trailer for BUTTERFLY IN THE SKY describes what made READING RAINBOW so powerful.
“READING RAINBOW wanted children to know there’s all kinds of stories out there,” actress Whoopi Goldberg explained. “While it may not be stories from your neighborhood, it’s stories from a neighborhood you should know about.”
BUTTERFLY IN THE SKY was available to watch in select theaters starting March 17 and will be available via VOD starting April 30.
Movieguide® previously reported on a recent READING RAINBOW reboot:
Generations who learned to read from the PBS television classic READING RAINBOW is finally coming back as READING RAINBOW LIVE.
READING RAINBOW LIVE Creative Director Amy Guglielmo says the reboot was born out of response to the massive amount of content children began to consume during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We know it was a tough pandemic for parents, for caregivers, for teachers. We wanted to make sure that we have kids engaging with books and we’re going to use movement and music to engage kids in learning. And we really want kids to see themselves in the books that we’re choosing, and we’re going to use diverse creators, authors, illustrators, settings,” Guglielmo said.
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