Look at all these books that returned to the library today.

From librarian to literary internet sensation, to PBS's resident librarian, and now children's author, Mychal Threets carries many titles, but they all point to the same thing, an unapologetic, contagious joy.

I see that.

I'm gonna first ask you to describe what is Library Joy?

That's your whole like motto.

Tell me what Library Joy means to you.

- Yeah, Library Joy, in me and Lorraine Dodon's picture book, "I'm So Happy You're Here, A Celebration of Library Joy," one of my favorite spreads is I say, "You having your best day at the library?"

That's what I call Library Joy.

And I think that's like a very simple version, is your best day at the library.

But Library Joy to me, it changes for me day in and day out.

Today in this particular conversation, Library Joy, just like being yourself with the library, knowing what the library can do for you, that there is something for everyone.

I think that's always been what Library Joy is to me.

And I love it that there's so many different definitions.

You have your definition and it's not incorrect.

I may have said Library Joy more than anyone in the entire world, but I definitely don't own the definition, and I think that's what makes it so incredibly special.

- Yeah, and that is, it does mean so many different things.

And library, I mean, I've heard you say libraries are one of the few third spaces left, and it means so many different things.

It's not just books.

- No.

- And though books are a great part of it, but it's so much more.

- Yes.

- And I mean, I think that's a big part of what your book is about too.

- And I think that's what I was really hoping for, is to be able to write for every person who might ever come across the library.

It's intentionally written in a simple way, because my dream is it might be the first book a kid ever reads on their own, if the first time they actually read a book is about libraries and library joy, and essentially being able to celebrate themselves.

So I'm like, yes!

♪♪ - Hi, and welcome to Reading Rainbow.

- I wanna talk about Reading Rainbow.

(laughs) What an honor, right?

- It's a huge honor.

- What does that mean for you to, you know, revive this beloved program?

- Yes, I mean, I grew up and we talked about PBS.

I love PBS.

I'm the biggest PBS fan in the world.

I know you're PBS, and I'm sorry, I'm the biggest fan.

I have that honor.

I need a patch that says that somewhere.

I grew up with Big Comfy Couch and Wishbone and Dragon Tales, Mr.

Rogers, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and of course, LeVar Burton and Reading Rainbow.

So to this day, I still don't believe that I'm the new host of Reading Rainbow.

- How many of you have ever seen Reading Rainbow?

- Woo!

- The whole room!

- It means everything to me.

It's so cool that we're on YouTube, being able to show these kids who want to be YouTubers that we're saying books are important.

And they're like, whoa, they're talking about books on YouTube?

We haven't seen this before.

We love YouTube.

And they're just like, you're a YouTuber.

And I think that's so cool.

I don't connect to being a YouTuber.

I still see myself as a librarian, as an educator, but I'm like, but this is what they see.

This is what they need to connect with.

They need to say, this YouTuber is talking about books, talking about libraries.

Maybe I can do it too.

And so yeah, I will never know what to actually say about that question.

How do you feel about Reading Rainbow?

It's just an overwhelming amount of thoughts and feelings each and every time being able to be a part of my favorite show and one of my main personal heroes in LeVar Burton.

- Yeah, yeah.

What do you think, I mean, you talked about the YouTube aspect, but what do you think is “Reading Rainbow" now that maybe it wasn't in the '80s and '90s?

- You know what, I don't, I've thought about this myself, and I don't have a good answer.

I feel like I don't know is the easiest thing to say, but I think it's very similar, but there are some subtle differences.

I think, obviously, the main difference is myself.

I am not LeVar Burton.

I'm so sorry to any viewers who have been questioning that.

I am not LeVar Burton, surprise, surprise.

And I think when I say I'm not LeVar Burton is that I think my natural cadence of just speaking one-on-one with people, just in a room, I'm a huge introvert, I'm a quiet, laid-back person, but I think when you see me in the episodes of "Reading Rainbow," you just see my overall excitement because I'm in a library.

I'm in a place that kids can go visit for themselves.

And I'm just overcome by the peace and comfortableness of my favorite place in the world.

And that's when you see that enthusiasm start to pour out.

And I lose my LeVar Burton, Mr.

Rogers, quiet library voice cadence.

And I think that's one of the major differences.

But otherwise, we're still having adventures.

We're still having kid reviewers be the stars.

But I think it's a fun like spin on education, but also just being like paying homage to what Reading Rainbow has always been, which is to take a look, it's in a book.

If you could say one thing to the kids here today, what would that one thing be?

What would you want them to walk away today with?

Yeah, if I could say one thing to each of the library kids who are here today, any day, just remind them that they belong not just in libraries, but everywhere in the world.

I wish that they would know that they can be the best version of themselves.

If it's an autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, neurodivergent version, if they're disabled, if they're deaf, if they're blind, if they're LGBTQI+, if they're mentally ill, if they're anxious like me, if they're struggling, they still belong just as they are.

I believe that they are going to save the world.

They're the helpers in little form that Mr.

Rogers has always talked about.

And I just, I am so very proud of them.

I never thought I would be here today.

I'm still surprised I'm here this very day.

And I think it's the library kids who have always given me hope.

So ultimately I would tell them, thank you, and that they make me who I am.

So "Reading Rainbow" is back for four episodes, back on YouTube, back trying to make LeVar Burton proud because of those library kids.

Everything that we do, I think every person should do it for the library kids all over the world.

And I'm just so proud of them.

And I hope that they're safe, that they're protected, and they know that they're loved each and every day.

- Amazing.

I love it.

Thank you so much.

- Thank you.

This is amazing.

- I'm so glad you're here.

- I'm glad you're here.

- I love it.