Reading Rainbow, the longtime PBS reading show now relaunched as an interactive digital book app, is partnering with National Geographic Kids to offer a line of branded digital picture books and easy readers. The Reading Rainbow book app will debut the National Geographic Kids’ digital content beginning in March 2013 with 30 titles.

Relau nched in 2011 by its longtime PBS host LeVar Burton, Reading Rainbow has become RRKidz, the Reading Rainbow parent company, and a Reading Rainbow interactive digital reading app that offers access to more than 200 digital titles and video content. While the Reading Rainbow app is based on the award-winning PBS TV show, it has been revamped and reimagined for the digital age. The service offers an unlimited monthly subscription to the Reading Rainbow app for $9.99 and $29.99 for six months of unlimited access. Under the new partnership, National Geographic will offer content from its children's periodicals (National Geographic Kids, published 10 times a year, and Little Kids, published six times a year) as well as National Geographic Kids Books.

The partnership will offer NatGeo Kids’ line of digital Picture-the-Seasons books, easy readers, and its Look & Learn picture books for pre-readers through a branded section of Reading Rainbow's “Awesome People Island,” a featured category offering books and videos about heroes and important historical figures. The section will also feature biographies such as Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Helen Keller, and Harriet Tubman, and will include video field trips to places like the White House, as well as a new video series called "I Love My Job Because,” hosted and narrated by LeVar Burton.

RRKidz/Reading Rainbow president of publishing Sangita Patel called National Geographic “one of the most admired educational publishers in the world,” and said, “We are thrilled that children will soon be able to explore their world through the exceptional books offered by National Geographic Kids within the Reading Rainbow app.”

Melina Bellows, executive v-p and chief creative officer of National Geographic Books, Kids and Family, said, “Reading Rainbow and LeVar Burton have inspired generations of young readers to become passionate about books and reading. With this new app, the next generation of kids will take that passion to the digital world.”

RRKidz co-founder LeVar Burton said, “I promised parents and children that the Reading Rainbow app would continually evolve, and with this major partnership with National Geographic Kids, we deliver on that promise. With hundreds of books and video field trips in our library, and more being added every week, our app continues to be the best resource for children to develop the love of reading that is so important to their futures.”