Fred Rogers (1) (1928–2003)

Rating: 3.75* of five

The Publisher Says: A timeless collection of wisdom on love, friendship, respect, individuality, and honesty from the man who has been a friend to generations of Americans There are few personalities who evoke such universal feelings of warmth as Fred Rogers. An enduring presence in American homes for over 30 years, his plainspoken wisdom continues to guide and comfort many. The World According to Mister Rogers distills the legacy and singular worldview of this beloved show more American figure. An inspiring collection of stories, anecdotes, and insights--with sections devoted to love, friendship, respect, individuality, and honesty, The World According to Mister Rogers reminds us that there is much more in life that unites us than divides us. Culled from Fred Rogers' speeches, program transcripts, books, letters, and interviews, along with some of his never-before-published writings, The World According to Mister Rogers is a testament to the legacy of a man who served and continues to serve as a role model to millions.

My Review: By the time Fred Rogers hit the screens of American educational TV, I was too old (in my own opinion) for the baby stuff. Silly child, eh what? When I rediscovered him I was in my teens, going through a nasty depression that I wouldn't admit WAS a depression, and Fred Rogers soothed me like no one else could. Calm, cool, collected; reflective, curious, engaged; ideal company for my heavy, angry mood.

Years drifted by, events in the world took me away from the problem-solving peacefulness of being Fred Rogers' neighbor until somewhere around 1992. Another very bad time drove me (accidentally) to the neighborhood, welcomed as always by Fred Rogers' earnest, gentle lessons. All unknowing a life was in the balance, Fred Rogers let me be his neighbor until I was ready for meatier, grittier, less safe life experiences again.

This quote book offers the meat of the Rogers Experience to an older audience than he served in life. It's a wonderful grazer's delight sort of book, designed to emphasize the wisdom of its offerings by positioning one per page. It's never a good idea to gobble a quote book the one can with novels and suchlike. In this collection's case, it is a worse idea than usual: Remember that Fred Rogers was a childrens' show host, and inclined to hone, polish, and deliver information and lessons simply and directly. It's not always exciting, but it is always informative and soothing.

I treasure Mister Rogers. I miss the gentle voice and the comforting sameness of new shows. With this collection of wisdom and guidance, though, I can still feel the warm long-distance hand-holding love that was this great man's gift. show less

Dear Neighbors,

What I believe is most worth knowing is that every human being has value. This is the basis of all healthy relationships; and it's through relationships that we grow and learn best.

Reading this book at the start of 2021, after one of the most volatile years on record, this particular passage struck me. How much of our ills (as a country/world/people/species) can truly be boiled down to such a simple premise? Imagine if everyone believed that everyone else had value, by virtue show more of being human. I'd like to think that respect would be the most basic feeling, instead of distrust or hatred.

*shrug* I suppose one can dream.

This is a sweet collection of letters that Mr. Rogers received over the years, as well as his responses. The letters came from children, parents, young adults, and even older folks. Some were funny (such as the child who believed Mr. Rogers didn't poop because his television house didn't have a bathroom!), and some are poignant - the letters expressing fear and sadness about a variety of subjects, from friends moving away to siblings unexpectedly dying. Mr. Rogers was always very careful to respond in general terms, as he explains at the beginning of the book; he didn't want anyone to see him as their therapist, merely as a caring friend. Though it can be a little condescending these days to read his constant responses about how important feelings are and how important it is to express them to family members, by the end of this collection, I was starting to believe it was true 😊 He makes several points about how expressing feelings are healthy not only because it keeps us from bottling them up, but because it can also be a way to test/set boundaries. As a former psychology major, I can see a lot of the child development coming out in his responses. As a voracious romance reader who hates the Big Misunderstanding trope, I fervently believe that communication is important!

I miss Mr. Rogers, and I wish he was still a force in our world. We need someone like him, with unconditional love, to be a force again. show less

A very human portrait of a larger-than-life hero. I found the little snippets of wisdom sprinkled throughout the book to be inspiring, but they are just brief snippets, and they're given with no context. Four stars there, easily. What sets this book apart from other collections of inspirational quotes is the beautiful forward from Mrs. Rogers. In it, she describes her husband with warmth and affection, and she touches on some moments in his life that made him the person he became. It's a show more nuanced and personal depiction, and it provides a powerful framework for the rest of the book. So that would elevate the whole book to five stars. The amazing cast providing the narration is icing on the cake. show less

Goodreads Choice Awards Project: Read as many of the opening round Best Picture Book nominees as possible. 4 to go! (And no time to track down the rest. Gotta vote!)

An interesting relic, but without Fred Rogers' voice soothing me into a state of acceptance, some of these song lyrics seem pretty corny or downright odd. Also, with so many Mister Rogers songs to choose from, why slap in the lyrics from 10 that are actually written by a woman named Josie Carey? Sure, Fred wrote the music for show more those songs, but the music is not presented here, the words are. And Carey's words usually don't fit in or, on the subject of wishes at least, downright clash with Rogers' sentiments. (Rogers: "No kinds of wishes make things come true." Carey: "Find a star and cross your fingers tight / Then your wishes might come true...Just keep on wishing anyway.")

Unrelated to my rating, this illustrated poetry collection doesn't seem like it should be included in the Goodreads Choice Awards Picture Books category. It's 143 pages long! show less