We didn’t have cable when I was growing up, so PBS programming was a constant childhood companion. Sesame Street, Mathnet, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, and, of course…
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
Rogers’ humble home, methodical routines, fascinating friends and thoughtful words were a quiet, yet enormously positive force. The show was so different from every other on television. I never questioned or considered what made it unique, back in the 1980s. Instead, Rogers earned a special role in my active imagination, reminding me that…
Living is great.
Every day has positive potential.
I would have lots of feelings.
And we would talk about them.
As an adult, the profundity of this mantra is so apparent. And yet Rogers managed to deliver it seemingly effortlessly, in simple songs and friendly interactions. For this, Rogers’ life has inspired many pieces of art of late. The documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” A new movie starring Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” And several picture books, including one that really grabbed my attention: Fred’s Big Feelings: The Life and Legacy of Fred Rogers by Laura Renauld and Brigette Barrager (Atheneum).
Ah, this cover! So much to love! The cardigan. The warm, rosy smile. The emphasis on feelings. Not to mention perfect art elements… The retro font. The movement of the hearts. That LEMON yellow backdrop. (I love yellow, as you know.)
This summer, I picked up a DVD of Mister Rogers episodes from the library. My girls were familiar with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (and its incredibly infectious songs), but Mister Rogers was new to them. I wondered if it would resonate. It didn’t. I was super disappointed.
But then PBS started airing old episodes of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood on its app. Game changer. There he was, right in the queue with their other shows. Slow. Intentional. Deep. Direct. Personal. Revealing the world moment-by-moment. Feeling-by-feeling.
This is precisely how Mister Rogers is captured in the new picture book Fred’s Big Feelings (which publishes Jan. 14). As we read the story together, my girls and I were fascinated to learn how a shy boy grew up to create his very own TV show. So, how exactly did he achieve this? You’ll need to read the book to find out! But here’s a peek inside…
A Boy and His Feelings
Fred’s Big Feelings begins much like an episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The narrator speaks to the reader as a friend, giving a warm welcome and setting the stage for the story to come. After a proper hello, readers go back in time and into the boyhood life of Fred Rogers, a period full of surprising revelations and undeniably formative moments.
As readers, the Schulte family knew nothing of Fred’s youth and were saddened to learn that he spent much of it as a social outsider. Music provided a safe space for Fred, an environment where he could explore his emotions. In this gorgeous spread, author Laura Renauld and illustrator Brigette Barrager introduce the concept that, even at a very young age, feelings were everything to Fred. Powerful, sweeping sensations of the heart felt intimately by him, and also shared by all people, everywhere.
The Power of Television
Fred recognized in young adulthood the impact that one person can have on the life of another. This realization became a call to action in the 1950s. Fred didn’t at all care for the television for children that typified this time period - the endless gags and pranks. But he saw TV’s tremendous potential for good.
The beautiful vignettes (below) show how, on his program, Rogers took every opportunity to explore feelings and introduce children to something or someone new: Look! Mister Rogers feels playful. He is taking a juggling lesson. (and) Mister Rogers feels sad. One of his goldfish has died. Just as in the iconic episodes featured in this spread, the words and art in Fred’s Big Feelings invite young readers to slow down, feel and learn.
Exploring in Make Believe
Rogers showed the real world with patience and clarity, but that was only half of the brilliance of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The true magic began when you heard the urgent call of the trolly coming around the bend and were transported into a realm of imagination and play.
Children of ALL ages explore ideas and feelings from the safe distance afforded by make believe. “The World of Make Believe” was one such place. Barrager’s bright, whimsical illustration (below) recalls the wonder of this world, as Renauld’s prose reminds that even in this very separate place, Rogers never stopped showcasing feelings.
Fred’s Big Feelings left a very particular imprint on my readerly heart. I learned many things I didn’t know about Rogers, while also getting to revisit a joyful part of my own childhood. And my daughters, who LOVE picture book biographies, added a new favorite to their list. This is a truly beautiful story about how one person, driven to make the world a better place, did exactly that.
Laura Renauld is the author of PORCUPINE’S PIE (Beaming Books), and the upcoming 2021 title BEAR’S BICYCLE (Beaming Books). Brigette Barrager is the illustrator of many books for children, including VLAD THE RAD (Random House), POCKET FULL OF COLORS (Atheneum). UNI THE UNICORN and UNI THE UNICORN AND THE DREAM COME TRUE (Random House), FLORABELLE (HarperCollins), and others, including the upcoming HOW TO BE A PIRATE (Bloomsbury).
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