Enjoy the stories. Have always felt comforted by your voice. I used to watch reading rainbow with my son when he was young. This is an incredible find! Thank You!

I always set aside time to enjoy this podcast; the stories are always interesting and inclusive and I love Levar's insights and observations. I'd love to see Levar read something from Transmogrify, it's a collection of fantasy short stories by and about trans people.

This podcast is like an oasis in a world of many sands of podcasts. love it ☺️

this is the best best best podcast ever. i love being challenged and brought to tears and just listening. i am sorry i never reviewed this before.

I love this story. What a brilliant way to make a symbol loose it’s power! A lesson so needed today.

This podcast is Levar Burton being Levar Burton. The stories he reads are all great, but my favorite part is his commentary at the end. Thoughtful, insightful, kind and funny. Please never change!

Those of us born in the early 80’s - on the cusp of being called “Millennials” but not at all feeling like one - this pod cast feels like a warm hug. Levar Burton with his classic delivery and calming presence will bring books to life, like no one else can. So many of us grew into loving books all thanks to his direction. Between Levar and Mr. Rogers, our generation clearly has the upper hand in positive role models.

If you grew up watching reading rainbow, then you had the great pleasure of hearing and watching the infinite & playful wisdom of Levar Burton. Now we have LeVar Burton reads. The stories are moving, surprising, riveting, funny, devastating…they stay with you, and some I’ve returned to several times. The wonderfully satisfying conclusion where LeVar shares his take on the stories he’s chosen send it into the stratosphere. Can’t recommend it highly enough. I’m a LeVar Burton Reads evangelist. A million stars.

Highly recommended! Perfect for daily commutes and workouts. It’s so easy to become completely engulfed in these stories. Mr. Burton is a masterful storyteller!

This podcast heals. It is more than the way he reads. It’s his philosophy, his gentleness, his rituals like taking a deep breath. All of it. Everything about this podcast. In each episode Levar Burton lets us all in just a little bit. He puts so much of himself into this podcast from which stories he chooses to read to the real emotions he gives to characters. Wonderful. Probably my favorite podcast.

Spouse and I love him! One of us grew up with him on reading rainbow the other did not. HIS VOICE AND PERSONALITY ARE MADE FOR THIS! He makes us very happy and calms us both down after long days.

It’s like Reading Rainbow for Grown-Ups. I Love,Love, Love this. I have a 1 hour commute and Mr. Burton makes it 🤌🏾✨

So lucky to have him read to us

I love this podcast! So many of us grew up with a love for reading because of Reading Rainbow and its a dream come true feeling like Levar is reading you a bedtime story. The stories he chooses are interesting that I sometimes listen during the day to hear what I missed. I hope he continues making new episodes 💛

I can’t just listen to it once! These stories are amazing. I absolutely love how I feel. Like I’m standing in the story. I’m seeing his words in picture. Thank You LaVar for finding the perfect books that take me to another world. 100% talent! Please come to Cleveland!

I love listening to LaVar. He is other one of the men that shaped my life growing up. He help me develop my love for reading. ( I missed his voice.) His movies taught me about cultures of the past and present. Then he shaped my wishes for the future. With this, I get to hear him again, his private thoughts, tidbits bits of his life. I am just so glad to have found this. Now I can take him with me for walks with my dog.

He’s a national treasure and this podcast is one of the many reasons why.

Always enjoy the story selections, performance and sound design. I read Gubeikou Spirit from Land of Big Numbers by Te-Ping Chen last year and immediately thought of what y’all would make of it. Keep up the good work.

I just recently started listening to this podcast and I am so sad that I didn’t know about this sooner because LeVars voice, his enthusiasm, and passion for these short stories is so cozy and comforting. I love that I am able to listen to a whole story in one podcast and I am able to learn about new authors as well. His analysis on how what the story meant to him is always so interesting to hear because he introduces ideas that even I didn’t think about. Lovely podcast and I hope that there are more seasons to come. XOXO Sincerely, a 24 year old Gen Z🥰

Love this as both a bibliophile and an educator this show has been amazing. Would love to hear any of the short stories in “Burning Chrome” by William Gibson. Some of my favorite OG cyberpunk literature 🙏🏼💕

1. Review: Started listening as part of my new morning routine with my newborn (since I can’t easily hold a book to read while holding her!). It is so wonderful to have LeVar “back in my life” again, after growing up with Reading Rainbow (and yes, I will be checking out Sound Detectives and Skybrary for my progeny). LeVar picks fantastic stories, and I appreciate his brief commentary at the end of each one. Obviously, he does a fantastic job of reading/performing. I really appreciate the range of story type and cultures represented. 2. Story requests! I would to love hear “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang. Please also consider reading a short story from Lucia Berlin’s “A Manuel for Cleaning Women”; a story from Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s “Sabrina & Corina” (perhaps “Ghost Sickness”); or a story from from the collection “All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages” (I recommend “Roja”).

I love the short stories! I love the sounds in the background, music and his voice is just so perfect. Makes me feel like I’m listening to reading rainbow for adults. ❤️❤️❤️

I’ve been listening for a while now and I’m almost done with season 2. I have been truly captivated by Every. Single. Story! I’m an avid reader but due to losses in my life have drifted from it and have had a hard time getting back into it. As a child, I grow up with both Reading Rainbow and Star Trek NG, as well as Roots later on so there is such a deep nostalgic love for Mr. Burton already. Listening to this podcast has not only helped bring back my love and passion for reading, and a new appreciation for podcasts. It’s even sparked my love and interest in writing again. I no longer dread my long drive to and from work. I’ve also sent so many episodes to family and friends! I would very much love to see a live performance come to central Mississippi! Honestly anywhere in a reasonable driving distance would do!! I can not recommend this podcast enough, nor can I accurately put into words the joy it brings me. And I say this with the highest amount of love and respect that exists, my mom would have LOVED this podcast!!! She is who I got my love of reading from. And as a parent myself, with a daughter who also loves to read, I can hardly wait until she is old enough to enjoy these herself.

There aren’t enough words to describe how wonderful this podcast is. There are so many stories but I feel like each one is permanently written into my memory banks because of the care and thoughtfulness that the team puts into choosing and sound designing them. The discussion by LeVar Burton at the end of each story goes way beyond literary analysis and elevates these episodes into a balm for the spirit. Thank you for making these!

I will pass the on pumpkin with love

This podcast warms my heart in ways I never knew were possible. I was a huge reading rainbow fan as a child and I absolutely adore Levar. Please keep this going!

Thanks LeVar for striving to stay YOU after all these years! So comforting to hear you voice as it always seems to teleport me back to when I was a child watching you fondly on tv. Thank you for this podcast and you love of life and reading! All the best!

Waking up and seeing a new drop from “LeVar Burton Reads" is an instant pick me up. It means at least something good is going to happen today.

This is a great podcast! I look forward to hearing a new story every week ,and often go back and listen to old episodes. Wonderful story selection.

I would gladly stand with you and throw hands at these imbeciles who insist on making Americas children illiterate elitists. Read on good man!!

Look out mothers, he wants to throw hands with you. Recently he said so while speaking in front of a crowd in regard to moms who don’t want books depicting pornography to be freely accessible to their children in elementary school libraries. So not only does he want to abuse women, he wants to show children pornography. Seems like a bad move but that’s the world we live in now. Weird.

Amazing

I know everyone is entitled to their opinion but after listening to the episode that aired 11/23/23 Where Levar discusses Donald Trump ruined this podcast for me. I’ll no longer be listening. If you like the way things have been run politically for the last 3+ years then I can no longer listen to anything you read/recommend. Keeping your political thoughts to yourself might be best for your show or maybe you just don’t want/like Donald Trump supports listening. ✌🏽

I hope this show never ends

Mr. Burton recently spoke about “throwing hands” with a female organization with which he is in political disagreement. So tired of people hating other people. It’s everywhere. I’m no longer supporting anyone who demonstrates this, no matter which “side” they seem to be on.

I grew up watching LeVar introduce new books and reading stories on the local broadcasting station. I found him again years later on this podcast and subscribed. LeVar’s remarks about “throwing hands” at the 2023 National Boom Awards Ceremony are unacceptable. There is absolutely zero reason for advocating violence against mothers. Disappointing behavior, LeVar. We expected more. For this reason, I am unsubscribing. I can no longer support Levar or his sponsors. I welcome others to join in unsubscribing. Our wives, mothers, and teachers deserve better.

I have always loved being read too. Your choices are excellent. You also introduce me to authors I didn’t know but now love.

Huge fan of LeVar Burton and this show. I enjoy every episode. The stories are great, the narration is wonderful. Truly a breath of fresh air.

This story is so absolutely amazing that I wish I could hear it again for the first time…

On the microphone but that’s not what makes it good. It’s the stories and L’s genuine and electric human interest.

I don’t listen to this podcast often enough. Everything about the show is great. LeVar Burton is an amazing reader, of course. The selected short stories are excellent. I find myself thinking about them for months after first listening to them. The pool of authors is diverse, and made up of many authors whose work I know and others whose work I know I would like to know after I’ve listened to the episode. The sound design is beautiful and truly immersive. Finally, I always look forward to Burton’s comments on each story.

He’s so talented. But he just can’t resist inserting his politics. Then again maybe that’s the point. Fair enough, but if I’m looking for simply great stories well performed it means this is not for me. And the music on sone of this is awful. So distracting and really ruins it.

If you’re a Levar Burton fan, this is exactly what you’re looking for, 5/5 stars.

I have loved listening to LeVar Burton reading to us again! In this new season, it seems like the sound design has shifted & the music has gotten distracting rather than adding to the atmosphere (as it used to). Hopefully they will get it back to normal soon!

While being read a story typically is a bedtime experience for children and time-limited workaholics like myself, Levar Burton changes the experience by magically transporting us to other worlds. His expressive and energetic characters come to life in every story he reads. The background sound effects support each story expertly. Listening to Levar Burton Reads is like taking a trip. Listen up folks!

That’s all you need.

The music and extra sauce added to this season is distracting. It’s competes with LeVar Burton’s voice. A few episodes into the season and I still cannot complete an episode. I have adored this podcast and have listened to it since its debut. The stories are thoughtfully curated and expose listeners to a swath of talented writers and tales. I appreciate the production evolution over the years. The beauty and singularity of this podcast is LeVar Burton’s iconic voice and performance. Respectfully, LeVar Burton does not need the razzle dazzle ya’ll.

First I am biased- I loved Reading Rainbow so I am feeling all kinds of nostalgic fuzzies and he is the best storyteller, but this podcast is even more! Not only is it a peaceful relaxing moments just listening to a story, but I truly enjoyed listening to his enjoyment and thoughtful comments about the book and life.

I cannot even write this review because it makes me emotional but this is the best podcast out there. I love the stories, the storytelling, and Mr. Burton’s passion for books and reading. It’s a gift to humanity.

I’m too young—I missed out on Roots. I should try to find it streaming somewhere. But I did grow up with both Reading Rainbow and Star Trek, The Next Generation. To have found Mr. Burton still sharing his life, his thoughts, and, as always, some really great stories, has been a gift. I’m not exaggerating when I say my life is richer as a result. There’s a wonderful personal quality here that comes through in every episode. Thank you. I listen to a lot of podcasts. This one is a favorite.