Monday, April 30, 2007

Take a look. It's in a book...

I don't work on Mondays, so I spend my day doing productive things like cleaning and running errands and really contributing to society. That was a lie. I play with the dog, work on the internet and watch TV. But occasionally I stumble upon extraordinary things... like old school episodes of Reading Rainbow. I loved that show as a kid, and seeing it now always takes me back...

Today, I found LeVar working a fake news story at a chicken hatchery. Intense stuff... he asked a set of roosters, "Which came first? The chicken or the egg?" I waited on the edge of my seat for a response, but the poultry were completely unobliging with their answers (divas!). LeVar was quick on the take and made up for it with the book, Chickens Aren't the Only Ones, in which I learned, chickens aren't the only animals that lay eggs! Who knew?!

Add in the experience of watching a chick hatch (sorta gross, I'm not gonna lie) AND a turtle lay eggs (also kinda gross), and you've got all the makings of good TV. Seriously, what more could you ask for? I think I was as riveted this morning as I was 20 years ago. (Oh, my god, I hate that I can say I remember anything from 20 years ago.)

Who cares how many times LeVar used "egg" in wordplay? (eggstremely, eggsclusive, etc.) Who cares if it's cheesy? Who cares if the host was in Star Trek? By the end, when those little kids in their 80s ensembles do promos for the books they just read, I'm ready to pick up the keys and hit Barnes and Noble. (Or continue the laziness trend and click my way to Amazon.)

Okay, okay. In all "seriousness," I think it's a fantastic show. I love to read, plus I taught English/Writing for two years, so I know how vital literature is in growing understanding and intelligence in children. If I ever decide to help populate the earth with my spawn, the Reading Rainbow Favorites (DVDs from Amazon) will be a must in little BJs collection.

But you don't have to take my word for it...

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