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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

I am so excited to share this new poetry book with you, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood The Poetry of Mister Rogers. As a staple of many of our youth, Mister Roger’s neighborhood was something many of us took for granted. Knowing that he will always be there with his love, acceptance and imagination. That being said I wasn’t a super fan as a I child it was later in life that I became obsessed with Mister Rogers.

Why and how did I become a Mister Rogers Super Fan?

Do you love Mister Rogers? If you know me at all then you know that I am completely obsessed with this man, I know it is crazy but it started a few years ago when we started watching him as a family on Amazon Prime TV. We loved watching all the episodes even the oldies which were black and white. My son whom never responds to television shows was fully enthralled in Mister Rogers he even responded when he asked him a question. My children were captivated by this man and honestly, so was I but being a jaded adult, I didn’t believe this man was real. I ended up doing a deep dive into Mister Rogers, I learned so much and became fully obsessed with him. Something happened this past year or so and it seems like the whole world has jumped on board Mister Roger’s trolley. I was so excited to see this new book and I couldn’t help myself from pre-ordering it and enjoying every single page.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers

If you are already a fan of Fred Rogers than “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood:The Poetry of Mister Rogers“, is a must have, of course. Filled with 75 songs we know and love from his years of work presented as beautiful poetry it is sure to warm your heart as well as stir up nostalgia. Parents and kids alike will recognize many from the show, such as “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” “It’s You I Like,” and “It’s Such a Good Feeling.”

The poetry

The poems, touch on many things that our children think about. You will find it hard not to reminisce or be inspired by the amazing Fred Rogers’ words. These poems encourage children to open up more about their thoughts and fears. The poems in this book teach some important lessons such as caring about others (“I like you as you are,” “You are special”), being inclusive of everyone (“It’s you I like”), fostering your curiosity and imagination (“Who Shall I Be Today”), being reflective about your own life (“What Do You Do with the Mad That You Feel”) , and having a positive outlook (“It’s Such a Good Feeling,” “You’re Special”). These are all lessons that transcend decades and generations; they are just as relevant to your kids as they were to you as a kid, and just as relevant to you now as an adult.

The Illustrations

The illustrations are equally wonderful. Luke Flowers did a stupendous job illustrating Mister Rogers himself, plus all those little things we know and love from the show including Trolley, Picture Picture, the stop light, fish tank, and all the characters and scenes in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. He’s also illustrated many children at play, learning to tie their shoes, and dealing with things like pain and being scared. I personally love how the book represents multiple cultures and abilities as it is important and was important to Mister Rogers. There are plenty of animals and inanimate objects illustrated in this book as well. Luke really went above and beyond putting in little touches that Mister Roger super fans will notice (yes, I noticed 143 on the blackboard Mr. Flowers!) As you read through the book, you won’t be able to stop yourself from remembering these songs from your own childhood, and these brilliant visuals will bring back all the memories of the stories shared in the episodes.

 

The end of the book includes an index, which makes it easier to find your favorite poems or songs or even to look up certain topics (such as feelings and fears), there is also a short biography of Fred McFeely Rogers. (Yes, Mr. McFeely is actually named after his mother’s maiden name, I told you I deep dived!)

Have you never heard of Mister Rogers?

Maybe you didn’t own a television, or you lived under a rock? Either way you were truly deprived of the gift of Mister Rogers. But, don’t fear, it isn’t too late. Mister Roger’s Neighborhood is (not was) a truly a groundbreaking show, if you have never seen it I urge you to look it up on PBS, Amazon or even YouTube.

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood is an educational show for young children which ran from 1968 to 2001 ( I could talk about how it started as The Children’s Corner and had a few variations in Canada and America but I don’t want to bore you with all the history).

It helped teach children how to feel good about themselves, it promoted imaginative play, exploration and the feeling of safety and predictability (knowing you will see Mister Rogers’ tomorrow!)

It helped teach emotional and social skills to young children (the psych nerd in me geeks out)  and was made in the hopes that families would enjoy it together.

There were nearly 900 episodes, which included songs that Fred Rogers wrote and sang. This book includes 75 of these songs. From funny to sweet, silly to sincere, the words of Mister Rogers explore such universal topics that we still explore today.

Through these songs, as well as endearing puppets and honest conversations, Mister Rogers instilled in his young viewers the values of kindness, self-awareness, and self-esteem. But most of all, he taught children that they are loved, just as they are. Don’t we all need some of that?

This book is the perfect companion for bedtime, sing-along, quiet time alone or to enjoy at a poetry teatime.  This beautiful book of meaningful poetry is for every child including the child inside of each and every one of us.

Purchase a copy for yourself here!

LET US KNOW!

Do you love Mister Rogers? Did you pick up this book?  What are your thoughts? Do you have any recommendations for future reviews? Let us know in the comment section below. If you picked up this book because of our review, we would love to see a photo of you enjoying the story! Tag us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtag- #BloomingBrilliantREADS

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