The choice of host comes naturally as Burton is a lifelong advocate for children’s literacy and was the former host and executive producer for PBS’ Reading Rainbow as well as last year’s fan favorite for becoming the new Jeopardy! host. Over 200,000 people watched live last year as 14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde from New Orleans became the first Black American to be named the spelling bee champion, winning a $50,000 prize. This year, the semifinals and finals will air live on June 1st and 2nd, respectively, and take place near Washington, D.C. It can be viewed on the ION, Bounce, and LAFF networks. Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.
