You Are My Friend: The Story of Mister Rogers and His Neighborhood by Aimee Reid

You Are My Friend: The Story of Mister Rogers and His Neighborhood Reviews

• 
  Anna

  What a lovely book. I almost cried a few times, but not because it was sad (although a couple times it was sad), but because those moments were precious and I felt "the feels". Fred Rogers was an amazing human and I loved reading this book. I learned more about him, especially with the biography at the end which I highly enjoyed, and I love his philosophy of kindness and learning to share your feelings through music, puppets, whatever it may be in a nonviolent way. The illustrations are wonderful and fit the story well. It ended the best way it could have too, with the famous quote by Mister Rogers, "You've made this day a special day, by just your being you. There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.". PRECIOUS.
  
  I highly recommend this book, even if you didn't like his show or didn't grow up watching it, it's worth a read. It's an amazing book. GO READ IT.
  
  SPOILERS AHEAD:
  
  I also really loved how his famous quote originated from what his grandpa told him when he was a child. HOW GREAT IS THAT?! Ugh, the feels, man. I love it. That's so precious.
• 
  Ashley Adams

  A sweet children's story about people who like you just as you are.
• 
  KC

  A simple but engaging biography on Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers fame.
• 
  Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit)

  Fans of Fred Rogers will enjoy this picture book biography of the boy who would grow up and create the beloved children's television show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
  
  Starting in his younger years of playing with puppets and learning the piano, this picture book gives us glimpses into Fred Rogers' life and how he came to be the incredible man he was.
  
  Having been bullied as a child, Fred found a positive way to express himself and his feelings; through music. He also had people in his life that accepted him and urged him to look for the good in the world.
  
  His childhood takes up a good portion of the story and focuses on how Freddie learned and grew to be the amazingly kind and accepting man that we knew him to be from his tv show.
  
  The watercolor illustrations are warm and friendly and do a wonderful job of reflecting the joy, wonder, and kindness that Mister Rogers has spread to the world.
  
  This picture book includes a brief biography of Fred Rogers in the back along with a select bibliography of other works about Fred Rogers.
  
  This review was originally shared on
  Lazy Day Literature.
• 
  Kris

  Mister Rogers himself would have liked this book, I think. So you should probably read it. We should all act the way Mister Rogers said we should.
• 
  Becky

  First sentence: In the springtime, when everything was growing and green, Freddie Rogers had to stay inside.
  
  Premise/plot: You Are My Friend by Aimee Reid is a picture book biography of Mr. Fred Rogers.
  
  My thoughts: I have long wanted a picture book biography of Mr. Rogers. For years I have talked about the need for one. My expectations were super high since I love, love, love Mr. Rogers so very much. I thought the text of this one was good, very good. I loved some of the details it included about his childhood. I loved the emphasis on feelings and expressing your feelings. Exactly what you’d expect from a biography on Fred Rogers.
  
  Text: 5/5
  Illustrations: 4/5
  Total: 9/10
• 
  Alice Ball

  This is a book I'll likely buy - it's just the sort of thing to read again and again. Mr. Rogers was a hero who helped build the emotional intelligence of a generation, and whose work continues to shine forward into the future.
• 
  The Library Lady

  I don't know if this truly deserves a 5, but damnit, we could really use Fred Rogers right now. And like him, this biography is sweet and loving without being saccharine. Charming art, where, like his adult self, young "Freddie" is almost always in a sweater, and I especially love the picture of him playing the piano, eyes closed. It really has the FEEL of Fred Rogers.
• 
  Isaiah

  Mister Rogers was my absolute favorite as a child. This book padi great homage to him, but the writing felt a bit flat. The art however lifted the story and gave you all of the emotions you should feel when reading about Mister Rogers and his neighborhood.
  
  3.5 stars
• 
  Katie Fitzgerald

  This is a disappointing attempt to convey Fred Rogers's life story to kids. Though it's not a biography,
  A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers does a better job of capturing this wonderful man's spirit.
• 
  Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS

  Excellent pb bio of Mr Rogers. Phelan's artwork isn't a showstopper here, but it is perfectly quiet and appropriate for the subject and the message. What a guy. We're all so lucky to have had him as our neighbor, even as we sat miles and miles away from Pittsburgh.
• 
  Samantha Mairson-Dougherty

  So excellent. And just when I needed it. Thank you, Fred Rogers and co. Long live his story!
• 
  Cathy Stefanec Ogren

  This is a heartwarming and inspiring story depicting the challenges Fred Rogers had as a young boy. Fred’s grandfather told him he was special and liked him just the way he was. Those words sank deep inside Fred. As an adult, keeping those words in mind, Fred created a successful television show – Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood – that taught empathy and appreciation for one another's abilities.
• 
  Jeannie

  Along with the movie, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and Maxwell King's book, The Good Neighbor, this book is a timely tribute to Mr. Fred Rogers for younger children. Aimee Reid did much research, but states that this is a work of fiction not a biography. That being said she does capture the loving, giving thoughtful nature which Fred Rogers presented to his young viewer.
• 
  Jennifer Smyth

  This book is a wonderful tribute to an extraordinary man. It is well written and the illustrations are beautiful!
  “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
  
  ― Fred Rogers
• 
  Becca

  The pace, the tone, and the illustrations are like Mister Rogers himself--direct and simple. Wonderful book about the man who was honest enough to look us in the eye and say, "I like you just the way you are."
• 
  Ashleigh

  Sweet little book about Mr. Rogers' childhood and his pathway to helping others. Look for the helpers and find your neighbors. You are made special. I loved the recent movie about his life (for adults) and am diving into all these stories about him. We need Mr. Rogers today!
• 
  Frankie S

  I enjoyed learning more about Mr. Rogers, his life as a child and why he made such a good television show as an adult.
• 
  Sandy Brehl

  With gentle, minimal text and images, the well-known adult Fred Rogers comes to life on the page first as a sickly, timid, lonely little boy. Everyday experiences reveal his gradually developed ability to entertain himself with imagination (and puppets), to listen intently to those he trusted, and to absorb and apply their wise words in his own life.
  He finally developed the confidence to consider running along a stone wall. When he dared to ask permission, the gathered adults told him no. But Grandpa McFeely said yes, and then affirmed Fred's courage when the boy came back with a skinned knee.
  Unlike some biographic picture books, this one successfully keeps the focus on Fred as a child long enough for readers to identify with him as a child. They are able to see him as an ordinary boy, one who could be in their classroom or neighborhood.
  Only then do they see him move ahead to become an observant, curious adult with a keen eye for making the world better. In one important case, a pivotal event, he imagined how making the new world of children's television could make the whole world a better place for... children.
  Of all the ways he opened the world to young viewers, Fred Rogers never lost sight of those childhood messages: Look for the helpers, I believe in you, and you are wonderful just the way you are. The ways in which this ordinary hero changed lives is immeasurable. This picture book biography plants the seed of truth: anyone can be a hero. Everyone IS a hero when they live up to their best selves.
  Added back matter and resources are accessible and add valuable details and insights.
  
• 
  Tasha

  Celebrate the life of the person who became Mister Rogers, a beloved children’s television creator. As a child, Freddie was often sick and filled his days with puppets. He found it hard to make friends and was bullied sometimes. Freddie found that piano was a way he could express his feelings. His mother also told him to look for people around who were helpers, which made him feel safe and supported. His grandfather allowed Freddie to take risks as a child and know that he was adored. When Fred Rogers created his television show, he incorporated all of these childhood inspirations. His show had lots of helpers who shared their talents, talked about difficult subjects, and always told children that they were valued.
  
  Reid draws clear parallels between Fred Rogers’ childhood experiences and the television show he eventually created. The use of his own childhood as inspiration resonates with the readers, allowing them to better understand the impetus behind the iconic show. Even his own talents with puppetry and piano which were highlighted on the show are shown as ways that he expressed himself in the darker times of growing up.
  
  Phelan’s art is done in watercolor and pencil. Special small moments are created in the images such as Freddie Rogers wearing a cardigan or the simple images of Rogers on the television in a variety of situations.
  
  A book that vibrantly captures one of the pioneers of children’s television. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
• 
  Alice

  4.25 Stars I liked the illustrations and story.
  I liked Mister Rogers as a kid, but compared to Sesame Street, Mister Rogers was lame.
  I thought the shiny faced puppets were creepy, Lady Elaine Fairchilde Creepy!
  
  But, I like when Mr McFeely took us to the original "How it's made" I saw violins and all kinds of cool things being made! I liked the Trolley too!
  
  As an adult I have much more admiration and appreciation for Mr. Rogers. He was amazing!
  There will never be another Mr Fred Rogers!!! He taught me that I could never "go down the drain" and "He likes me just the way I am!"
  
  I just can't believe that the author never saw Mr Rogers as child. She had a TV but says "She didn't live in a place that showed it" Sorry, I don't buy it! Maybe your family didn't choose to watch it, or weren't PBS people, but even in rural, rabbit ears America in the 1970's, Mr Roger's was on. I guess it is possible, but wow Poor deprived childhood!! If you could get CBS, NBC, ABC you got PBS.
  
  Isn't it interesting that someone who never saw it as a child writes a book about it as an adult. She says she was exposed when here kids were little! Weird!
  
  Also the cop out at the end "This is Fiction and not related to the Fred Rogers Company" How can I sell this as informational if it is fiction. Sigh!
  
• 
  Jenn

  This is the perfect time for this book, between the "Won't you be my neighbor?" 2018 documentary and the 2019 Tom Hanks "A beautiful day in the neighborhood" movie. The illustrations are soft (pencil and watercolor). It is a nice background into Freddie's childhood. You meet his grandfather McFeeley as well as his neighbor Mama Bell Frampton. Even children and adults who dont know Mister Roger's or Daniel Tiger can learn and fall in love with him from this book. From relating to his experiences with bullying and feeling alone, to finding a passion for music, to being a person who makes a difference. I have loved Fred Rogers since I was a child. This made me love him more. A a brief biography of Fred, a bibliography of print, digital, and film resources are included as well as author and illustrator notes with more info. I'd love for this to receive some award nods. While the cover and CIP info calls it a work of fiction, I would still place it in biography. The author says she focused on the essence of his story and calls it an homage. I think we call other items with far less fact non-fiction.
• 
  Mandy

  Childrens picture book biography. This is the story of Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers fame. I did not watch Mr. Rogers as a kid but am currently watching a lot of Daniel Tiger with my toddler, which is kind of a spinoff. Fred was a child that was often sick, which led to him spending a lot of time alone and also tobeing bullied. To cope with his feelings, he turned to puppets and playing the piano. He also listened to his mother's advice to "look for the people who are helping". He had a close relationship with his Grandfather McFeely, who the mailman on his show was named after. As an adult, he saw a show where people threw pie at each other and wondered if TV could be used to make a positive impression on people instead. So he started his show--which was filled with puppets, music, and lots of people helping. The watercolor illustrations are very calming and fit very well with the text.
• 
  Flossmoor Public Library (IL)

  5 stars
  
  This picture book biography of everyone’s most beloved neighbor, Fred Rogers, introduces him to a new generation of children. Aimee Reid, the author, provides a glimpse into “Freddie’s” childhood, which was the foundation for his wildly successful children’s TV show, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The message that all children are special just the way they are is in this book just as it was in the show. I loved Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood growing up (my favorite episode is the one where he shows how crayons are made) so I was excited to see a picture book for a new generation of neighbors. The text is easy for young children to understand and the illustrations evoke the same sense of calm Fred Rogers was known for. Recommended to anyone looking to introduce their children or grandchildren to Mister Rogers or simply looking for a calming presence during this chaotic time.
  
  - Miss Anna
• 
  Cheriee Weichel

  I didn't really watch Mr Rogers growing up because I was a teenager by then. I did sit and watch it with my own children many years later. I've watched the documentary film, Won't you be my neighbour as well as A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. I might have been predisposed to love this book anyway, but I think that even if Fred Rogers story was completely new to me, I would adore this book. It tells the story of a boy growing up and learning to be himself. It reinforces the significance of intergenerational relationships and shows us how important one person can be to make the world a better place.
  Matt Phelan's pencil and water colour illustrations combine with Aimee Reid's text to highlight the gentle integrity of Mr Roger's himself.
  I agree with the illustrator of this book, Matt Phelan, who in his notes at the end of the book states,"The World needs more people like Fred Rogers.
• 
  Barbara

  Wouldn't the whole world be a kinder, friendlier, more gentle place if we all followed the advice of Mister Rogers? This picture book pays tribute to the kind-hearted television personality and offers details about his formative years, his career, and his philosophy on life. The softly-colored pencil and watercolor illustrations lend a romantic, sentimental look to the book's pages, and readers will come away missing Mister Rogers and longing for that (possibly) kinder time. To flesh out his story, there is also a brief biography in the back matter as well as a note from the illustrator and a select bibliography of additional readings. His message might have been simple, but it was consistent and supportive and worth hearkening to even today as 2019 draws to a close.