Matthew Cordell (@cordellmatthew) shares HELLO, NEIGHBOR!: THE KIND AND CARING WORLD OF MR. ROGERS. Matt was first on the show back in 2015 for a book called WISH. At the time I used to close each episode with this question: I’m assembling an all-star kidlit kickball team? Who would you want to be on your team? Fred Rogers, he answered without hesitation. Like many, I’ve watched Matt’s career over the past decade and I’ve been moved by the stories he’s chosen to work on. The works are often quiet, centering on children and speaking strongly about safety and protection and care. Matt’s newest book is his first work of nonfiction and it centers the life of a man which many, many of us are inseparably familiar. In a journey 10 years in the making, HELLO, NEIGHBOR! is the first authorized picture book biography of Fred Rogers, and it resonates with the soul and mission and gentled approach of the man himself.
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ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
Kindness, caring, and reliance on our neighbors are more important now than ever before. We all need more Mister Rogers in our lives.
In difficult times, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood provided a refuge for children and their families alike; a way to understand and talk about what was happening, and find hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Groundbreaking in a quiet, generous way, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood introduced a generation of children to the wonders of the world in the comfort of their own living rooms. Fred Rogers took young viewers to art museums, introduced them to different professions, and talked through difficult subjects like losing a loved one, or experiencing parents' divorce, with compassion and reassurance.
Share that deep respect, care, and quiet joy in the day-to-day with the only authorized picture book biography of Fred Rogers--lovingly created by Caldecott Medalist Matt Cordell.
Lively, colorful illustrations explore Fred Rogers' early life and the events that led him to create his enduring show. Exclusively published archival photographs, provided by Fred Rogers Productions, offer a behind-the-scenes look at this historic show and the people whose hard work made it possible. A brief biography of Mister Rogers and a history of the show is included, as well as a note from author-illustrator Matt Cordell about his inspiration and longtime admiration for Fred Rogers and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
SHOW NOTES:
Matthew Cordell (Website)
BookClub mini episode (Patrons only)
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