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Who Was . . . ? Series
Who Was Mister Rogers?
Learn how Fred Rogers, a minister and musician from Pennsylvania, became one of America's most beloved television personalities and everyone's favorite neighbor.
Even though he's best known for his successful PBS series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood , Fred Rogers never dreamed of working in television. In fact, he hated the very first program that he ever watched! Join author Diane Bailey as she takes readers through the journey that brought Mister Rogers into our living rooms. From his childhood interest in puppet-making and music, to his courageous visit to Russia during the Cold War, this book details Mister Rogers's quest for kindness and his gentle appeal to be more neighborly.
Even though he's best known for his successful PBS series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood , Fred Rogers never dreamed of working in television. In fact, he hated the very first program that he ever watched! Join author Diane Bailey as she takes readers through the journey that brought Mister Rogers into our living rooms. From his childhood interest in puppet-making and music, to his courageous visit to Russia during the Cold War, this book details Mister Rogers's quest for kindness and his gentle appeal to be more neighborly.
112 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2019
104 people are currently reading
480 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
April 15, 2020
I simply adored Fred Rogers as a child and will continue to admire him as I get older. He was a wonderful compassionate man. His values and beliefs will benefit children and adults
December 1, 2022
Now I Know why Mister Fred Rogers is one of America's Most Famous Children's Television Presenters.
October 16, 2019
"One of the greatest gifts you can give anybody is the gift of your honest self".
Mister Rogers
Mister Rogers
August 24, 2021
If only there were more people in the world like Fred Rogers.
November 19, 2021
Well written and nicely details the spirit of Mister Rogers.
January 31, 2021
Who wouldn't love reading a book about Mister Rogers?!
I have many nostalgic memories of Mr. Rogers, his cardigans, and a red trolley. I loved when they'd go visit factories.
It was a lot of fun learning a little bit more about his life. He's such an amazing person. He was genuinely kind and thoughtful of others and how refreshing is that?
I have many nostalgic memories of Mr. Rogers, his cardigans, and a red trolley. I loved when they'd go visit factories.
It was a lot of fun learning a little bit more about his life. He's such an amazing person. He was genuinely kind and thoughtful of others and how refreshing is that?
October 29, 2019
Fred Rogers is my hero
February 8, 2020
I learned lots of things I never knew.
December 19, 2022
I don’t know anyone that grew up watching his shows that didn’t enjoy them. As an adult I love what he did and what he stood for and taught children in the world. Individual worth, kindness, Love for ourselves & others…We need more like him. ❤️
November 9, 2019
The kindhearted spirit of Mr. Rogers is much needed in our world...whether in movie form or in this middle grade biography. I am glad Penguin dedicated one of their “Who Was?” books to him. He is well-deserving of it! May kids who read this feel encouraged and appreciated just knowing a little more about his life.
April 13, 2022
Simple and packed with information!
January 26, 2020
Mr. Rogers is one of my role models, so I was thrilled to see this added to the WHOHQ lineup and purchased it for my library right away. The “Who Was” books are all easy reads in my experience, but I found this one particularly readable. I feel the author did a nice job conveying the wonderful human being Fred Rogers was and the legacy he left behind.
July 27, 2021
I never watched Mister Rogers as a kid so this book was very interesting to learn about the man behind the cardigans. A man who spent so many years trying to make children feel safe and loved. A great short story that was entertaining and insightful.
February 2, 2020
Another great big head biography.
March 18, 2025
Listened to as an audiobook on a roadtrip. Very cool to learn about a figure in history.
February 19, 2020
I loved this book because it talks about Mister Rogers TV show!
March 9, 2020
Must have for every school library!
Read
June 25, 2020Good
No spoiling
No spoiling
Read
December 22, 2020Well written and informative. We learned a lot about one of our local heroes. We will definitely read more of this series.
January 7, 2021
I love Mr Rogers! I learned some more about Fred's life, and I also learned some more about US History.
June 30, 2020
Although I have a little background knowledge on Mister Rogers from a visit I took to Pittsburgh, I learned a lot by reading this book. When I finished reading, I looked up a video about Mister Rogers, and everything that was mentioned in the video was touched upon in the book. This made me believe that the book did a good job of including the key events from Fred Rogers' life.
There are two quotes that I took away from this book. The first one was in regards to violence and death: "When he was a child and something bad happened, Fred's mother had told him, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping'" (76). The second one was in regards to his guest Jeff Erlanger: "Jeff used a wheelchair to get around, and Fred asked him a lot of questions about it. He wanted viewers to understand that having a disability only made a person different on the outside. On the inside, they were like anyone else" (84).
There are two quotes that I took away from this book. The first one was in regards to violence and death: "When he was a child and something bad happened, Fred's mother had told him, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping'" (76). The second one was in regards to his guest Jeff Erlanger: "Jeff used a wheelchair to get around, and Fred asked him a lot of questions about it. He wanted viewers to understand that having a disability only made a person different on the outside. On the inside, they were like anyone else" (84).
July 10, 2020
When I ordered it, I didn't realize it was a kids book. The reason I did not rate it higher is because it was written for kids and is lacking much of the detail that I, as an adult, am interested in. It was interesting, though. I enjoyed the part about how he stopped tossing his shoes in the air when he found out that young child viewers were copying him and bonking themselves in the head with their shoes. I also enjoyed reading about his address to the US Senate requesting uninterrupted public TV funding -- it prompted me to find the digital recording of his moving 7-minute conversation with Senator Pastore. I also truly enjoyed reading about the heartfelt episodes with Francois Clemmons and Jeff Erlanger. I look forward to reading more books about this fascinating, Christ-like man.
January 8, 2020
Love Mr. Rogers and I love all of the information this book imparts. He was a fantastic man who instilled fantastic values in generations of children, and this book does a spectacular job of telling his story.
Read
September 19, 2020Because when I tell people I'd never heard of Mr. Rogers until the Tom Hanks movie, their jaws hit the floor.
August 15, 2021
As a "child of the 80's" in a five-channel television home, the bulk of my childhood consisted of a daily diet of Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, and Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
I have such respect for this charming man who had such a heart for children (as a child, I *felt* that he cared), and now as a mother myself, I appreciate him all the more as I despise most of the children's programming on television - even on PBS.
And as we continue on with this pandemic - I would have loved for someone like Mister Rogers to be available as a peaceful, calm voice to speak to our children.
This book complements the documentary about Fred Rogers "Won't You Be My Neighbor" very well. I am passing this book along to my kids to read now that I am done with it. I doubt they will appreciate what this man did, as he didn't live a flashy, overtly exciting life. But, I hope they will catch a glimpse of what an impact he had on a generation with his positive messages of hope and love.
As a side note: a friend recommended this series for adults, as they provide the "cliff notes" of important people's lives. I love biographies, but don't always have time to read them (and some are poorly written!). After reading this one, I plan to peruse the shelf for others that interest me!
I have such respect for this charming man who had such a heart for children (as a child, I *felt* that he cared), and now as a mother myself, I appreciate him all the more as I despise most of the children's programming on television - even on PBS.
And as we continue on with this pandemic - I would have loved for someone like Mister Rogers to be available as a peaceful, calm voice to speak to our children.
This book complements the documentary about Fred Rogers "Won't You Be My Neighbor" very well. I am passing this book along to my kids to read now that I am done with it. I doubt they will appreciate what this man did, as he didn't live a flashy, overtly exciting life. But, I hope they will catch a glimpse of what an impact he had on a generation with his positive messages of hope and love.
As a side note: a friend recommended this series for adults, as they provide the "cliff notes" of important people's lives. I love biographies, but don't always have time to read them (and some are poorly written!). After reading this one, I plan to peruse the shelf for others that interest me!
December 1, 2020
Book Title: Who Was Mister Rogers?
Author/Illustrator: Diane Bailey
Reading Level: MG
Book Level: 5.3
Book Summary: A biography of Fred Rogers, loved by millions of children due to his successful show on public television for 35 years "Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood". Grew up in Pennsylvania and broadcast his show from a Pittsburgh TV station, encompassing puppets, live characters, and life messages for children.
Bookshelf Genre: Biography
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits:
Sentence Fluency-this book is very traditional in a biography. It starts with his early life, goes through his beginnings in television, and ends with his accolades and death. The story is geared for a younger audience and I could see young writers using this fluency for others. It is straight to the point but the words used are simple, not overly cerebral.
Conventions- very simple set-up when it comes to the text and the structure. Writers could see the basic information being presented and use this as a guide to write a biography. There is also side stories that explain different historical people or things (like the beginning of TV).
Author/Illustrator: Diane Bailey
Reading Level: MG
Book Level: 5.3
Book Summary: A biography of Fred Rogers, loved by millions of children due to his successful show on public television for 35 years "Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood". Grew up in Pennsylvania and broadcast his show from a Pittsburgh TV station, encompassing puppets, live characters, and life messages for children.
Bookshelf Genre: Biography
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits:
Sentence Fluency-this book is very traditional in a biography. It starts with his early life, goes through his beginnings in television, and ends with his accolades and death. The story is geared for a younger audience and I could see young writers using this fluency for others. It is straight to the point but the words used are simple, not overly cerebral.
Conventions- very simple set-up when it comes to the text and the structure. Writers could see the basic information being presented and use this as a guide to write a biography. There is also side stories that explain different historical people or things (like the beginning of TV).
September 4, 2022
Mr. Rogers was a truly remarkable man and left an incredible legacy with the impact he made on a generation. There never has been and probably never will be someone with such a profound impact in the entertainment business. A business that carries so much weight and influence through television screens and media. So for a man with a privileged background to use his privilege and education to do something for the good of humankind is absolutely remarkable and there is a reason why he won the presidential medal of freedom and other lifetime achievement awards.
This middle grade biography is so well done, Told in simple terms, packed with lots of information and capturing the inspiring legacy Mr. Rogers created.
If you want to know more about him or just be reminded that there can be some good in this world there is a biography written about him as well as an incredible documentary called “won’t you be my neighbor” which brought me to tears multiple times. And also the Tom Hanks movie “A beautiful day in the neighborhood” was very heartfelt and showed the impact of Mr. Roger’s good nature.
I keep a book of his quotes nearby when I just need a reminder of hope and love.
This middle grade biography is so well done, Told in simple terms, packed with lots of information and capturing the inspiring legacy Mr. Rogers created.
If you want to know more about him or just be reminded that there can be some good in this world there is a biography written about him as well as an incredible documentary called “won’t you be my neighbor” which brought me to tears multiple times. And also the Tom Hanks movie “A beautiful day in the neighborhood” was very heartfelt and showed the impact of Mr. Roger’s good nature.
I keep a book of his quotes nearby when I just need a reminder of hope and love.
November 18, 2024
This book is a biography of Fred Rogers and how his early life altered the way he viewed the world and the outlook who chose to take. Before the chapters begin, there is a brief story about a boy named Jim who was a popular athlete who had welcomed Fred into his life. He described how it made me see how one person could change your life. Fred took it upon himself to be that person for people around the world through his television show. This book walks through Freds his life timeline from being a shy boy to becoming Mr. Rogers and the impact he has made. I think it is also interesting that throughout the book, it introduces key people and other influences on his life.
I would use this book in a fourth-grade classroom and have Mr. Rogers be one of the famous people my students can pick to do a poster on. Children can use this book as a source for their information that will go on their poster. I will require it to be creative and give a list of criteria that needs to be listed on the poster but allow students to put interesting facts and have fun with the new idea of researching.
I would use this book in a fourth-grade classroom and have Mr. Rogers be one of the famous people my students can pick to do a poster on. Children can use this book as a source for their information that will go on their poster. I will require it to be creative and give a list of criteria that needs to be listed on the poster but allow students to put interesting facts and have fun with the new idea of researching.
October 28, 2022
“The best teacher in the world is somebody who loves what he or she does, and just loves..."
“The best teacher in the world is somebody who loves what he or she does, and just loves it in front of you,”
This biography, aimed at young readers, gives a really nice introduction to the life of Mr. Rogers. It hits the highlights of his personal and professional lives, provides context along the way, and does a great job of shining light on pivotal moments for him... when he first discovered what a difference one person can make in another's life... when he discovered how meaningful words can be in a child's life... when he first realized he wanted to work in television and why.
There are a number of nicely done side bars to help young readers understand things like civil rights.
“The best teacher in the world is somebody who loves what he or she does, and just loves it in front of you,”
This biography, aimed at young readers, gives a really nice introduction to the life of Mr. Rogers. It hits the highlights of his personal and professional lives, provides context along the way, and does a great job of shining light on pivotal moments for him... when he first discovered what a difference one person can make in another's life... when he discovered how meaningful words can be in a child's life... when he first realized he wanted to work in television and why.
There are a number of nicely done side bars to help young readers understand things like civil rights.
December 2, 2023
Wholesome, heartwarming, inspiring
Quotes:
Freddy, you made the day special just by being yourself -Mr. Roger’s grandfather
The best teacher in the world is somebody who loves what he or she does, and just loves it in front of you
Hayes told him his secret. “Freddy,” he said, “I think of one little buckaroo.” He meant that he performed as if there were only one child in the audience.
I feel that if we in public television can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we will have done a great service -Mr Rogers to Senator Pastore before convincing him to not cut half of public televisions funding
The most important lesson was making sure kids understood that they did not have to do anything special in order to be special. That came just by being themselves.
One of the greatest gifts you can give anybody is the gift of your honest self
Quotes:
Freddy, you made the day special just by being yourself -Mr. Roger’s grandfather
The best teacher in the world is somebody who loves what he or she does, and just loves it in front of you
Hayes told him his secret. “Freddy,” he said, “I think of one little buckaroo.” He meant that he performed as if there were only one child in the audience.
I feel that if we in public television can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we will have done a great service -Mr Rogers to Senator Pastore before convincing him to not cut half of public televisions funding
The most important lesson was making sure kids understood that they did not have to do anything special in order to be special. That came just by being themselves.
One of the greatest gifts you can give anybody is the gift of your honest self
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews