A Bit Bookish

The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fred Rogers appeared before audiences of millions of young children and their parents over a 40 year period. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, at the height of its appeal, was watched by nearly 10 percent of American households. His work shaped not only television, but the technology that drives it. Most importantly, he recognized the critical importance of learning during the earliest years of a child's life. No one better understood how essential it is for proper social, emotional, cognitive, and language development to take place in the first few years of life. And no one did more to convince a mass audience of the value of early education. He also provided exemplary moral leadership. He had a strong belief in Christianity, but his spirituality was eclectic; he found merit in all faiths and philosophies. His signature value was truly human kindness. He lived it, and he preached it, to both children and their parents, to teachers, to all who would take the time to listen. He weighed 143 lbs his entire adult life and interestingly the 1-4-3 represented I Love You (I=1, Love=4, You=3). If you grew up watching Mr. Rogers, you will want to read this book. You will also want to visit www.fredrogers.org and www.fredrogerscenter.org and explore both sites freely.


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