Скачать или смотреть Reading Rainbow: Humphrey the Lost Whale A True Story | S07E01 (1989)

The featured book is "Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story" by Wendy Tokuda and Richard Hall, illustrated by Hanako Wakiyama. It tells the incredible true story of a 45-foot Humpback whale who, in 1985, swam through the Golden Gate Bridge and up the Sacramento River into fresh water. Because whales can't survive in fresh water for long, it became a race against time to save him.

Highlights of the Season 7 Premiere:

The Narrator: The book is narrated by Jane Curtin (of SNL fame). Her storytelling captures the tension of the rescue efforts and the public's fascination with the giant traveler.

LeVar at Sea: LeVar Burton takes the Reading Rainbow crew out onto the Pacific Ocean. He spends the episode aboard a research vessel, showing us what it's like to be a marine biologist and explaining why whales migrate thousands of miles every year.

The "Ooloo" Sound: LeVar demonstrates the acoustic "pingers" and the "Ooloo" sounds (recordings of feeding whales) that rescuers used to lure Humphrey back toward the salty ocean water.

Whale Watching: The episode features breathtaking footage of real Humpback whales breaching and tail-slapping. LeVar explains the "fluke" patterns—how every whale’s tail is as unique as a human fingerprint.

Kid Reviews: A new batch of 1989 student reviewers recommend more books about the deep blue:

"The Whale Family" by Hans-Heinrich Isenbart

"All About Whales" by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

"The Sea World Book of Whales" by Eve Bunting

This episode is remembered for its emotional ending—the actual footage of Humphrey finally swimming under the Golden Gate Bridge toward freedom—and for teaching kids about the power of environmental conservation.