One of the numerous things I miss about being a kid, aside from mandatory nap time and not having any idea what the word “cholesterol” meant, is being read to. Being able to close your eyes and listen allows your imagination to roam in a different way than if you’re the one doing the reading. You can get a similar experience these days from audio books, but LeVar Burton has his own approach to reading to adults and it’s perfect for those of us from the Reading Rainbow generation. Yes, I said perfect.

We learned about Burton’s new podcast, LeVar Burton Reads, thanks to Bustle. Burton is using the podcast format to read short stories from all genres, with a little music and original sound design sprinkled in.

This trailer will give you an idea of the calming effect of Burton’s voice and a snippet of the first short story, “Kin” by Bruce McAllister:

Ahh. I’ve missed that voice. It’s like a cool breeze.

Three episodes of LeVar Burton Reads are available at the moment, all in the 30- to 60-minute range–which, for me, is a podcast sweet spot as far as length. If you have an average commute, you can listen to an entire story. This could be a pleasant break in between audio books that are hours long.

Visit the LeVar Burton Reads site to listen to the episodes released so far and to learn where to subscribe.

What short stories do you hope Burton reads? Share some of your favorites with us in the comments.

Featured Image: Reading Rainbow

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