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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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