Barbara Irwin

Who doesn't love Reading Rainbow? I was fortunate to work on the series during the early years at WNED-TV in Buffalo, NY where I grew up. It was there that I met Tony Buttino and Pam Johnson, my co-authors on Creating Reading Rainbow: The Untold Story of a Beloved Children's Series. Tony co-created the show; Pam began as an intern (as I did) and continued working hand-in-hand with Tony on Reading Rainbow and other education initiatives. My work at WNED inspired me to continue my graduate education, and I became a professor of Media Studies at Canisius University, where I worked for 32 years. I love television and have always been interested in the behind-the-scenes stories of how television shows are created. I'm especially drawn to the positive things television can accomplish -- including motivating generations of children to read and develop a love of books! I knew there was a story to tell about how Reading Rainbow came to be and spent years researching, studying archival materials, and interviewing those involved in developing the beloved series, including host LeVar Burton, members of the production team, educators, and librarians.