You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I love Mr. Rogers and the legacy he left, but I can’t love this book. The writing though thorough and well documented, is extremely redundant. It comes off almost in a theme of disconnected essays, but by being written by the same person it feels like a passionate author who didn’t reread the whole book start to finish. I would have liked this book had it been 150 pages shorter with all of the repetition removed. At the core, this is a very detailed book about a rich white man who did a lot for early childhood education and television with some light digs at Sesame Street. I’m pretty disappointed in this book as a whole and wouldn’t recommend it.
Fascinating story. I never realized just how intelligent and talented Mr. Rogers was. His gentle manner belied a very committed and determined man. I also didn't realize how subtly influential and subversive he was. The author is a little repetitive at times but otherwise a satisfying read.
Approach this book the way Fred Rogers approached interacting with children, and you will be rewarded. Once you get past some of the bland family history in the beginning chapters, the book has much to offer readers who slow down and take time to digest the lessons seen in the life of one of the most innovative, creative, and thoughtful teachers of our time.
And of course, you will feel horribly inadequate as a human being every time you read, even though the author goes out of his way to point out that Mr. Rogers was a flawed human being, just like everyone else. But his legacy ultimately challenges us to be better human beings -- "good neighbors," even!
And of course, you will feel horribly inadequate as a human being every time you read, even though the author goes out of his way to point out that Mr. Rogers was a flawed human being, just like everyone else. But his legacy ultimately challenges us to be better human beings -- "good neighbors," even!
If you are looking to learn more about the man in the sweater — his humor, his boldness, his drive — this book is worth a read (or at least a skim!). Though a bit dry and repetitive at times, overall this is a lovely account of Fred Rogers — his character, the people who brought him into being, the ways in which he fostered his giftings and faced his shortcomings, the role that his wealth and privilege played in his story, and the history of his pursuits and creations. This book is full of content on child psychology and on loving one another in an inclusive and pure way. (Underlining galore!) And though I assumed it, I think I was especially struck by his ceaseless dedication and intention behind all of Rogers’ words and actions. All in all, a lil history here, some anecdotes there, nuggets of wisdom and kindness everywhere!
This book was much more academic than I was expecting and read a lot like a college essay, but nonetheless I still enjoyed reading and learning about the life and work of the incredible Mister Rogers.
This was already so lovely to read, but having the audiobook narrated by LeVar Burton made it even better :)
Not the best writing (the author is often repetitive) and tends to be a little dry. Overall worth reading because this is the only biography of Fred Rogers, who was an exceptional human being.
I was very interested in this biography and really wanted to like it, but the writing is extremely staid and repetitive, and the information feels surface-level. I neither felt that I learned more about Mr. Rogers as a person or that it was an engaging read.
Dry, boring, & repetitive. The best part of this book was the prologue. That could've and should've been the entire book.