June 5, 2026

Reading Rainbow at 43: The Books That Made Us Readers

Butterfly in the sky. If you just sang that, this is for you.

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These are the books featured in this post — tap any cover to find it on Amazon.

Cover of Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace

by Mary Hoffman

A story showed Grace herself, and made room for all of us to dream bigger.

Cover of Mirette on the High Wire

Mirette on the High Wire

by Emily Arnold McCully

A girl meets her courage by lamplight on a tightrope.

Cover of Imogene's Antlers

Imogene's Antlers

by David Small

A girl wakes up with antlers. Nobody knows what to do. Imogene knows.

Cover of Crictor

Crictor

by Tomi Ungerer

A boa constrictor who learned to read, and a town that learned to love him.

Cover of When I Was Young in the Mountains

When I Was Young in the Mountains

by Cynthia Rylant

Appalachian childhood remembered in a voice quiet enough to hear yourself in it.

Cover of Abiyoyo

Abiyoyo

by Pete Seeger

A folk song with a giant and a boy with a magic wand, sung into a story.

Cover of Strega Nona

Strega Nona

by Tomie dePaola

Magic pasta, a kitchen disaster, and a town fed by laughter.

Cover of Caps for Sale

Caps for Sale

by Esphyr Slobodkina

Caps, monkeys, a tree, and the chant a generation can still finish from memory.

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