Back quickly today, in an attempt to catch up this week on my book gift ideas; but also because this book is an excellent companion to book 3! A collection of 75 songs from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and The Children’s Corner, this vibrantly illustrated book is such a delight! Enjoy A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood with lyrics by Fred Rogers and illustrations by Luke Flowers, 2019.
What is it about?
This book is so much fun. Originally written as lyrics to songs on Mister Rogers’ shows, 75 of his classic and famous ones appear in this book to be read as poetry (unless you already know the tunes!) Opening with the famous “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” other songs included: “I Like You As You Are,” “Doing Song,” “It’s An Ugly Day,” and my very favorite, “What Do You Do with the Mad That You Feel?” all cover a gamut of topics, and more importantly – emotions. There are fun songs, serious songs, feeling songs, and curious songs. It is a wonderful, delightful collection of simple things in rhyme – a fabulous treasure of some of Mister Rogers’ best words.
Why I picked it?
First off, I love Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. I love Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood too. I love the way Mister Rogers’ expresses things, how calm he always was, and how he took time for everything. He never seemed rushed or worried. Everything was done thoughtfully, and measured. A bit of that translates into these lyrics. The songs are fun to read through – some feel like a story, others just like expressing thoughts or emotions – and Luke Flowers has added such fun and vibrant illustrations to every page. Beloved and famous characters are included – all treated carefully in Flowers’ style, but also respectful of both the original versions on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as well as their animated versions on Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. The illustrations are fun to flip through and a great compliment to the lyrics.
My only annoyance with this book, that I would be remiss to not admit – I wish it included the music with each song. I know that would be much longer and a completely different book, really; but these were intended as songs and attempting to read and understand them merely like poems, leaves a little something to be desired. Nevertheless, we love to flip through this and pick one here and there to read aloud and ponder. Or we end up trying to find the song clip and sing along!
Who will love this?
Fans of Mister Rogers’ will certainly love this collection, but this book is perfect for everyone. A great addition to any child’s bookshelf, or adults for that matter. I need to reread that “What Do You Do with the Mad That You Feel?” song often and give myself helpful tips for keeping my cool and expressing emotions properly! A beautiful collection with lots of thoughtful messages.
Bonus Gift Pairings
This book obviously pairs great with book 3 from this list! Look how great they look together!
And a really crazy idea to pair with this book – this Daniel Tiger musical instrument set! These are song lyrics, why not make music while you read and recite them?
Thanks for following along with my favorite books from the year. I hope these Mister Rogers’ titles have added some joy and thoughtfulness to your week! Stay tuned for the next book on my list!
Three Books a Night 