NEED TO KNOW Reading Rainbow is back after almost 20 years! The revived show announced on Sept. 29 that it will feature a new host, Mychel Threets (affectionately known as Mychal the Librarian on TikTok), plus a wide lineup of celebrity guest stars to encourage kids to discover the joys of reading. "Reading Rainbow is returning, with all new episodes! Previously hosted by LeVar Burton, Reading Rainbow launched in 1983 and, according to its site, was the "most-watched PBS program in the classroom." Reading Rainbow originally launched as a direct response to the "summer loss phenomena," in which a child tends to lose some reading abilities over the summer months.