Review Detail

This is the feel good book of all the feel good books. Everyone needs a copy of this book and when you have a down day, flip to a random page and read. Even the poems about being lonely and sad uplifted me. But, this girl adores Mr. Rogers. The book is a collection of the lyrics to 75 songs composed by our beloved children’s-television personality.

This is a must for teachers, (I mean pre k through college teachers), parents and caregivers who wish to search out a specific song to introduce (or reinforce) a discussion about a typical experience or difficulty. The poems encourage a strong sense of self worth, as do those that reassure young children that they can manage their emotions as they continue to learn and grow.

You won’t find this a book to read from beginning to end, rather this is a resource that invites casual browsing. Unfortunately, without the melodies, some of the poems lack obvious rhythm. That is my only negative take on the book’s potential appeal as a general poetry collection. Flowers’ illustrations are active and feature characters from the iconic television show as well as vignettes of young children and spot drawings of everyday objects.