Reading Rainbow Reboot Lands 24-Episode Order

Sony Pictures Television has ordered 24 episodes of Reading Rainbow, which was revived last year with four digital episodes.

Mychal Threets, known as Mychal the Librarian on social media, will return as host, and Sesame Street veteran Kristen McGregor will join as executive producer and showrunner.

The digital episodes from last year were released on the Sony-owned YouTube channel Kidzuko, which will continue to get exclusive access to shortened episodes of the series.

The four digital episodes featured guest appearances from Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear), Rylee Arnold (Dancing with the Stars), Ezra Sosa (Dancing with the Stars) and Bellen Woodard (author of More Than Peach), with Jamie Chung, Gabrielle Union, Adam DeVine, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen and others narrating books.

The series is executive produced by Michael Davies (Jeopardy!) for Sony’s Embassy Row and Tom Calderone and Nancy Hammond for Buffalo Toronto Public Media, alongside McGregor.

“When I saw the response to the relaunch of Reading Rainbow and the enthusiasm for Mychal as host, it was clear there is a passionate audience that truly values educational children’s programming,” said Davies, executive producer and president of Embassy Row. “This series offers more than entertainment—it empowers viewers through reading, which feels especially critical at a time when literacy rates are in historic decline. I’m incredibly excited to welcome Kristen and her expertise as we continue to evolve the show and discover what new magic Reading Rainbow can bring.”

“We’ve been working for several years to bring Reading Rainbow back, and Michael Davies and Embassy Row have been the ideal partners to help make that vision a reality,” added Tom Calderone, CEO and president of Buffalo Toronto Public Media. “Seeing the impact these first four episodes have already had confirms that the timing is right—and that evolving the series for today’s audiences is both necessary and meaningful.”