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Reading Rainbow Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Reading Rainbow books in publication order. This is generally the recommended reading order for the series.
Reading order verified: April 2026
Quick Answer
What order should I read the Reading Rainbow series? Start with "Over the River and Through the Wood (By: Lydia Maria Francis Child)" (1844) and follow publication order through all 36 books.
The complete Reading Rainbow reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
Over the River and Through the Wood (By: Lydia Maria Francis Child)
1844
Through Grandpa's Eyes
1971
My Puppy Is Born (By: Joanna Cole)
1973
I Have a Sister--My Sister Is Deaf (By: Jeanne Whitehouse Peterson)
1977
Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems (By: Eloise Greenfield)
1978
Eats (By: Arnold Adoff)
1979
Mummies Made in Egypt (By: Aliki)
1979
"Could Be Worse!" (By: James Stevenson)
1979
Hot-Air Henry (By: Mary Calhoun)
1981
Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe (By: Vera B. Williams)
1981
Just Us Women (By: Jeannette Franklin Caines)
1982
The Philharmonic Gets Dressed (By: Karla Kuskin)
1982
A Medieval Feast (By: Aliki)
1983
Truck Song (By: Diane Siebert)
1984
Dabble Duck (By: Anne Leo Ellis)
1984
George Shrinks (By: William Joyce)
1985
A Three Hat Day (By: Laura Geringer)
1985
Maps and Globes (By: Jack Knowlton)
1985
The Paper Crane (By: Molly Bang)
1985
Lights! Camera! Action!: How a Movie Is Made (By: Gail Gibbons)
1985
How a Book Is Made (By: Aliki)
1986
I Like the Music (By: Leah Komaiko)
1987
Bugs (By: Nancy Winslow Parker)
1987
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters (By: John Steptoe)
1987
An Enchanted Hair Tale (By: Alexis De Veaux)
1987
Sunken Treasure (By: Gail Gibbons)
1988
Storms (By: Seymour Simon)
1989
Galimoto (By: Karen Lynn Williams)
1990
How Many Stars in the Sky? (By: Lenny Hort)
1991
Water, Water Everywhere (By: Cynthia Overbeck Bix,Mark Rauzon)
1994
Dragons & Dreams
1986
It's Fine to Be Nine
2000
It's Heaven to Be Seven
2000
It's Great to Be Eight
2000
Fire and Wings: Dragon Tales from East and West
2002
Acting Out
2008
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