Hello, Neighbor!: The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers

by Matthew Cordell

Overview

Kindness, caring, and reliance on our neighbors are more important now than ever before. We all need more Mister Rogers in our lives.

In difficult times, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood provided a refuge for children and their families alike; a way to understand and talk about what was happening, and find hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Groundbreaking in a quiet, generous way, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood introduced a generation of children to the wonders of the world in the comfort of their own living rooms. Fred Rogers took young viewers to art museums, introduced them to different professions, and talked through difficult subjects like losing a loved one, or experiencing parents' divorce, with compassion and reassurance.

Share that deep respect, care, and quiet joy in the day-to-day with the only authorized picture book biography of Fred Rogers—lovingly created by Caldecott Medalist Matt Cordell.

Lively, colorful illustrations explore Fred Rogers' early life and the events that led him to create his enduring show. Exclusively published archival photographs, provided by Fred Rogers Productions, offer a behind-the-scenes look at this historic show and the people whose hard work made it possible. A brief biography of Mister Rogers and a history of the show is included, as well as a note from author-illustrator Matt Cordell about his inspiration and longtime admiration for Fred Rogers and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Perfect for fans of the film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks, or anyone who wants to bring home the ideals of compassion, kindness, and patience that make us all good neighbors, this captivating picture book should not be missed.

A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823446186
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	04/06/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	508,365
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD910L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Matthew Cordell is the Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator of Wolf in the Snow, and the illustrator of numerous highly acclaimed children's books including The Only Fish in the Sea (by Philip C. Stead) and Special Delivery which was a Washington Post Best Book of 2015. He wrote and illustrated Another Brother, Wish and Hello! Hello!, a New York Times Notable Children's Book. Matthew lives near Chicago with his wife, author Julie Halpern, and their two children.

Editorial Reviews

★ 03/30/2020

When readers first see Fred Rogers in this authorized picture book biography, he’s an instantly recognizable figure playing his beloved piano; musical notes, hearts, and more pour forth from the instrument. Caldecott Medalist Cordell begins his story on the TV set of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, then circles back to Rogers’s youth in Pittsburgh, detailing his loving family and appreciation of music, his sometimes painful childhood (“Fred was shy and often lonely”), and his unexpected discovery of television’s possibilities for speaking to children: “He would simply be his honest self.” Galleries of portraits include the show’s inclusive cast of characters and some eminent guests. Drawings framed like television stills recreate the show’s famous opening and closing sequences and capture moments happy, “like visiting the circus,” and sad, “like saying goodbye to a beloved pet.” Cordell acknowledges the vast audience in front of the television screen—and Rogers’s own interest in how things work— with drawings of children watching in their homes and camera operators maneuvering around the sets. Scribbly lines, soft colors, and earnest storytelling create an open, affectionate atmosphere perfectly in keeping with Rogers’s quiet strength and generous heart. Back matter includes photographs and more information. Ages 4–8. Agents: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio and Matthew Shiels, Fred Rogers Productions. (May)

Publishers Weekly

★ "Scribbly lines, soft colors, and earnest storytelling create an open, affectionate atmosphere perfectly in keeping with Rogers’s quiet strength and generous heart."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

★ "The illustrations bring home the joy that Rogers brought to families every day. . . . In a crowded field of Mister Rogers books, this gorgeous offering stands apart."—Booklist, Starred Review

★ "this book is successful in returning the focus to a child audience, explaining how Rogers was unique and describing his lasting influence. The illustrations include many elements from the show; the act of identifying these details feels like a treasure hunt. . . . Caldecott-winning author Cordell and the iconic Mister Rogers have a lot of neighbors." —School Library Journal, Starred Review

★ "Essential for storytime read-alouds, emotional-literacy curricula, and bedtime snuggles in neighborhoods everywhere."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"We get to see the underpinnings of his long-running show, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” where everything is intentional — how he tackles feelings good and bad, welcomes differences, nurtures curiosity, fuels imagination and sings out his reassurance to kids. . . . Many quotations add Rogers’ own voice to bolster his standing as a model of kindness and caring." —The San Francisco Chronicle

"Matthew Cordell has written a book for adults to read to children, but as an illustrator, he also intuitively designed Hello, Neighbor! for children first. As my children began looking through the book, they did not linger over the words at all; they LOOKED without reading, and they were fascinated by what they saw."—NPR.org

"Enhanced by endnotes of fascinating facts from the neighborhood and his life, the book and its illustrations have the intriguing feel of turning pages in a family scrapbook. This lovely reminder of the quiet, compassionate television host is the perfect book to encourage children to talk about kindness, about sadness, and about acceptance."—The Christian Science Monitor

"This authorized biography of Fred Rogers opens as did his iconic television program, with a stoplight flashing yellow, signaling that it is time to slow down and enjoy your surroundings. It’s a fitting message for readers who met Mister Rogers as young visitors to his Neighborhood. . . . Cordell’s loose pen, ink, and watercolor drawings reflect the leisurely pace of Rogers’s speaking and writing styles, while the text is with gentle reminders of his philosophy.. A fine tribute to a fine man."—The Horn Book

From the Publisher

★ 04/01/2020

K-Gr 2—Newer and older fans are welcomed to the neighborhood in this warm, respectful tribute to Fred Rogers. The trolley chugs across the verso of the title page, then lands in the first spread right in the middle of the model streets. The view pulls back to show the entire television production set. The narrative then goes backward in time to discuss Rogers's childhood and early career. A mix of sepia-toned spot illustrations and full-color spreads convey history and the passage of time. While Mister Rogers currently is getting a lot of adult attention, this book is successful in returning the focus to a child audience, explaining how Rogers was unique and describing his lasting influence. The illustrations include many elements from the show; the act of identifying these details feels like a treasure hunt. A visual glossary explains the significance of the images. The children and adults depicted throughout the book have a variety of skin tones, and some pictures include people using wheelchairs. VERDICT Caldecott-winning author Cordell and the iconic Mister Rogers have a lot of neighbors. Buy multiple copies.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond

School Library Journal

★ 2020-02-18
Welcome, friend, to Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood!

The best neighborhoods are filled with all kinds of people, and Mr. Rogers’ is no different. Fred Rogers invited various artists, musicians, and public figures to his make-believe neighborhood, where he worked with puppeteers, actors, and others to create a unique place for his youngest television viewers—one filled with messages, spoken and sung, that underscored the values of love, kindness, and curiosity. Precise narration leads readers through the touchstones of Fred’s life, highlighting how his childhood influenced his mission: to treat children with deep respect for their emotions and intelligence. Cordell’s signature illustration style—scratchy pen and ink with pastel-hued watercolors—immerses readers in this world of make-believe, infusing graphically distinct spreads with warmth and humor, Fred’s recognizable red cardigan popping against the milder tints. Cordell fittingly includes children of color and children with disabilities, demonstrating the universal appeal and relevance of this special program. Extensive backmatter includes a biography, photographs from the show, a visual glossary of icons in the book and their connection to the show, a note from the author about his connection to Fred Rogers, and ways to learn more about this iconic figure of children’s television. Endpapers bookend the story with inspirational quotes from Fred Rogers.

Essential for storytime read-alouds, emotional-literacy curricula, and bedtime snuggles in neighborhoods everywhere. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews