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Are your kids experiencing big feelings? It’s time to read Fred’s Big Feelings: The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers

September 2, 2020 By Claire Annette Noland 5 Comments

This has been a year of big emotions for everyone. Confusion, sadness, and anger come to mind but there have also been joyful, playful, and even silly times. Children need to understand that experiencing different emotions is okay. We all need

 

FRED’S BIG FEELINGS: The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers

By Laura Renauld (author) and Brigitte Barrager (illustrator)

Atheneum Books for Young Readers 2020
picture book biography
Themes: Emotions, Children’s Television,
setting – Pittsburgh, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood

 

The story begins…

Hello, Neighbor!
It’s a beautiful day. Come in.
Look around? What do you see?
This is the closet filled with Mr. Rogers’
cardigans. His mother knitted
each one! And here’s where he changes
his shoes. Sneakers are more comfy,
don’t you think?
Now settle in. Mr. Rogers is ready to visit with you!
You may know Mister Rogers as
America’s favorite television neighbor.
But before that…

In this fascinating and thoughtful biography, author Laura Renauld takes us back to Mr. Rodgers’ childhood where we meet Freddy, “a quiet boy with big feelings.” He was shy and because he had to stay inside due to asthma, often lonely. But Freddy learned to play the piano and was able to express his emotions through music. He was loved unconditionally by his family and his grandfather told him “You made this day a really special day just by being yourself… and I happen to like you just the way you are.”

Fred became more confident as he grew up and through a close friendship, he learned how encouragement can affect the life of another. Fred went to college to become a minister when television was just coming into American homes. Children’s programming was horrible. Fred Rogers realized that something better was needed and he was the man to make it happen. He created the childhood classic, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood where everyone was welcomed and accepted. He went to challenge the government to continue funding the show. Thank goodness!

 

Why you need to add FRED’S BIG FEELINGS: The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers to your collection of picture books:

  • Laura Renauld has cleverly focused on the feelings Fred felt, the same feelings that children experience. They are written in italic font as Mr. Rogers feels joyful, sad, playful, and welcoming. Details about Mr. Rogers are cleverly woven throughout the text.
  • FRED’S BIG FEELINGS will help children to develop the vocabulary they need to express themselves and to understand that they are not alone.

  • Brigette Barrager’s captivating illustrations are done with bright color and whimsical details that bring to light different aspects of Mr. Rogers’ compassionate personality. The illustration of Mr. Rogers addressing Congress is especially powerful.
  • It is refreshing to be reminded of Mr. Rogers’ kindness, wise words, and conversations that he had with his various guests. He respected children and took their feelings seriously.

  • We need Mr. Rogers more than ever during these times. I imagine that he would be talking with children about being afraid of the unknown. He’d probably even take a field trip to see how masks are made. We can all learn from Mr. Rogers and hopefully take his lessons to heart.

Enjoy this clip and interview showing how Mr. Rogers challenged racial inequity on television.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Biographies, picture books Tagged With: Fred's Big Feelings- The Life and Legacy of Mr. Rogers, Mr. Rogers picture book biography

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jilanne Hoffmann says

    September 4, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    Oooh, I LOVE Mr. Rogers! And those illustrations are gorgeous! This would be a great book to pair with the one I reviewed today, Mootilda’s Bad Mood.
    Jilanne Hoffmann recently posted…Mootilda’s Bad Mood – Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBFMy Profile

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      September 4, 2020 at 7:37 pm

      Hi Jilanne,

      These two books would be great paired together. Thanks for stopping by!
      Claire Annette Noland recently posted…Are your kids experiencing big feelings? It’s time to read Fred’s Big Feelings: The Life and Legacy of Mister RogersMy Profile

      Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      September 20, 2020 at 11:01 pm

      Hi Jilanne – you are right- these two books would be great to share together.

      Reply
  2. Maria Marshall says

    September 19, 2020 at 4:30 am

    Laura did such a great job with this book! I remember watching Mr Rogers with my much younger brother & my kids. This book brought back lots of memories and I learned some things I didn’t know about him, too.

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      September 20, 2020 at 10:59 pm

      It is so nice to see Mr. Rogers becoming known to a new generation of children.

      Reply

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Hello. I’m Claire Annette - reader, writer, teacher, and field trip planner extraordinaire. Here at A Field Trip Life you will find ideas for adventures large and small and the kids’ books that inspire them. Sign your permission slip. Let's go!

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clairesfieldtriplife

I continue to read Amanda Gorman's Inauguration Da I continue to read Amanda Gorman's Inauguration Day poem "The Hill We Climb."
Every line is just so beautiful. I am inspired and hopeful.
@amandascgorman 
#thursdaythoughts 
#poetry 
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I have started the @21daydiscoveryourwhy journal c I have started the @21daydiscoveryourwhy journal challenge through the generosity of Oahn Jordan of @tinytriumphco 
Today's journal prompt was Where were you a year ago?
Thanks to my phone camera, I could easily take a look. And there were the faces of Christina, Thomas and Evelyn on January 18, 2020 as I was leaving Nicaragua. Little did I know that there would be a pandemic and the flights were stopped. Somehow, things fell into place and I was able to return with Roxanne on January 18, 2021. We recreated the original photo (on the right). I'm so excited about what’s ahead! You can still sign up - look at the bio in @tinytriumphco or @21daydiscoveryourwhy
It has been amazing watching to process of MIMIC M It has been amazing watching to process of MIMIC MAKERS go from idea to picture book! I can’t wait to hold it in my hands. Posted @withregram • @knordynordy COVER REVEAL

After raising two boys and teaching for over twenty years in a public school, I’ve witnessed the natural wonder that children have about the living world. Their voracious curiosity to understand the mysteries of our planet  is in everything they do!  Does it float? Does it fly? Does bend or break?  Children are curiosity in motion! I’ve come to believe this wonder about the world is the first step on the pathway to living sustainably on our beautiful planet. How ? By being curious and learning from the living world. 

Well...innate curiosity is something I wanted to explore. So...
I asked each inventor in my book what sparked their curiosity about nature? Well...after years of research, lots of interviews, and loads of classroom projects, MIMIC MAKERS was born. This picture book is a look at ten inventors from around the world, who began asking questions and investigating nature to create amazing biomimicry inventions that help us all. I hope it inspires a new generation of mimic makers. 

My thanks to my incredible editor, Alyssa Mito Pusey and the entire staff at Charlesbridge. Huge thanks to Paul Boston for your superb illustrations. Many thanks to Gretchen Hooker and Sherry Ritter of the Biomimicry Institute. 

#biomimicryinstitute #biomimicry #biodesign #stemreads #readingfunin21 #nonfictionforkids #childrensbooks #childrensbookauthor #teachersofinstagram #librariansofinstagram
Teachers- do you know about World Read Aloud Day? Teachers- do you know about World Read Aloud Day? Cardinal Rule Press authors would love to do a free zoom visit with your classroom on February 3rd  Sign up in the link in my bio
Mr. Ernie loves to put his nose in a good book. He Mr. Ernie loves to put his nose in a good book. He's currently reading the fantastic LAYLA and the BOTS: HAPPY PAWS written by Vicky Fang and illustrated by Christine Nishiyama. 
Layla is a rockstar and inventor (how cool is that?) who has three bots who help her solve problems in their town using technology.
This is a perfect chapter book for budding makers who love STEAM and fun! Mr. Ernie loves the roller coaster they design for dogs!

To read more about Happy Paws and the second book in this new series,  LAYLA and the BOTS: BUILT FOR SPEED visit my blog, A Field Trip Life. (link in bio)

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