'Reading Rainbow' Fans Unite! Levar Burton's 'Butterfly in the Sky' Documentary Is Now on Netflix

Fervent readers (and watchers) can come together for this nostalgia-filled doc that has landed on Netflix! Butterfly in the Sky, a documentary directed by Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb, chronicles Levar Burton, actor and host of the PBS children's series Reading Rainbow as he discusses his work on the series.

The doc premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival where it was screened to positive acclaim. After being picked up for distribution by AMC Theaters, it had limited theatrical screenings. It is is considered a celebration of the series and contains archival footage of the show as well as recent interviews with Burton. The title of the doc is based on a lyric from the show's defining theme song, which went on to have three different iterations in the show's 20+ year run. The theme song was written by Steve Horelick, Dennis Neil Kleinman, and Janet Weir.

Burton's tenure as the host of the Reading Rainbow started on PBS in 1983 before his long-time run on the series ended on the PBS Kids television station in 2006. Reading Rainbow explored topics through book narration and featured stories such as picture book Martha Speaks, which went on to be adapted into its own PBS Kids series.

The show recommended other books for children to read, as well. Reading Rainbow was the third-longest-running children's series in PBS history, after Sesame Street and Mister Rogers Neighborhood, and has garnered multiple Emmy and NAACP Image Award nominations and wins.

You can watch the official trailer below for the documentary below:

If you're an educator, parent, or just a fan of Reading Rainbow and want to share the love of storytelling and literacy with others, Butterfly in the Sky is also able to be screened in educational settings through Roco Films, which means young students can watch the doc in classrooms, libraries, and educators nationwide. This is definitely a family-friendly doc to add to your family movie night watchlist.

Butterfly in the Sky is available to watch on Netflix now!