First sentence: 

    Won't You Be My Neighbor
    It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood
    A beautiful day for a neighbor.
    Would you be mine?
    Could you be mine?

Premise/plot: Quirk is publishing the poetry of Mister Rogers. I'll give you a moment or two to squeal. Most of the pieces are by Fred Rogers. But quite a few are by Josie Carey with the music being by Fred Rogers. These poems--or lyrics if you prefer--are noted as such. The book contains pieces that you'd expect: "Won't You Be My Neighbor," "Everything Grows Together," "Many Ways To Say I Love You," "You Are Special," "I'm Proud of You," "It's You I Like," and "What Do You Do With the Mad That You Feel." But it also contains pieces that you've likely unfamiliar with. The songs that I did not know sometimes offered the most poetic food for thought.

I do not believe the book contains every poem--or song--by Mister Rogers. I can think of a handful it doesn't seem to include. (For example, "I'm Taking Care of You," "Look and Listen," "Peace and Quiet," "One and One are Two," "Everybody's Fancy."

My thoughts: I LOVED this one. I especially loved the illustrations that were connected with Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. For example, the illustration that goes with "It's You I Like" shows Mr. Rogers singing with a boy in a wheel chair. Adults most likely will make the connection to a very memorable episode. I'm not sure if children will be as familiar with the show. But whether your little one knows the shows or not--the words have a way of speaking for themselves. Some of them are timeless and WONDERFUL.

A gift for lovers of Mr. Rogers new and old, A Beautiful Day is also a great introduction for young readers to familiarize themselves with this cultural legend. Mr. Rogers would be proud to see what an impact his life's work has had on society, and the resurgence of his teachings these last few years is great proof that he will always be one of the helpers.

Beautifully put together, with pictures to go with the poetry.  These are the poems you grew up watching on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, and loved.  There are only poems in here, though, no commentary or other text.

I love Mr. Rogers. I’m glad people are starting to learn more about him lately. It’s about time. That said, this book is cute. I like the packaging (I love the cover of the arc that came into the store). I like the illustrations. A lot of the poetry is sweet with a good message, but I can’t get around some of the clunkiness if the rhymes in a few of them. A prime example: 

... sister. 
I wonder if she ever had a little fever blister.

No, no you didn’t ever in your life wonder if your mother had a fever blister.

That’s a pretty forced rhyme, and that kind of thing I find distracting. 

But I still like the book quite a bit and will sell many!

It's been a very long time since my daughter and I watched Mr. Rogers, but I well remember many of these songs and poems. It would make a great gift for fans of the show and those with small children. I would imagine the series is still on PBS and has legions of small fans. Wonderful book!

I read an ARC from Quirk Books via NetGalley. A beautifully illustrated, kid-friendly collection of Mr. Rogers songs/poems. This collection really brought back memories of my time as a kid sitting and watching Mr. Roger's on PBS. There are a couple hundred songs here, but I could see myself reading a couple to my 4-year-old son each night before bed. This man really understood early childhood development and the well-being of children and it should be shared with future generations. I was watching an old episode of his show with my son and realized how far ahead of his time Fred Rogers really was. He easily infused inclusion, kindness, and compassion for all into his show. Highly recommended for families and those looking to share love and acceptance with kids.

An emotional nostalgic trip to our childhoods for many of us and positive and beautiful messages for all..

Mister Rogers was such a big part of my childhood and I am so happy to see the acknowledgment today of what a profound impact he and his show have had on children for so many decades. Fred Rogers was ahead of his time with his abilities to speak with children of all ages. He communicated in a respectful way that helped children learn about emotions, and issues in some a compassionate and forward-thinking manner while also helping them always feel acknowledged and heard.  

This book is such a treasure and I loved being able to share these beautiful words with my own children.  Fred Rogers had a unique ability to connect so thoughtfully with children and these messages about feelings and compassion are truly timeless. Thank you to NetGalley and Quirk Books for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Every child deserves a copy of this book in their hands. It's beautifully illustrated and the writing, of course, is pure Mr. Rogers. I definitely cried my way through this book. I was raised on his show, and one of my favourite library school assignments was Mr. Rogers related.

I loved Mr. Rogers as a child and I think this is such a great compilation of him and what he was about. I will be returning to this book over and over just to reread his words and bring him back to life.

“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” will take you right back to childhood when Mr. Rogers was the guiding voice of exploration and kindness.  This collection thoroughly evokes not only the voice of the iconic Mr. Rogers, but also the message of “meaningful expression of care” that he argued for before the Senate.  These poems are perfect for teaching children social and emotional behaviors, and would fit perfectly in the elementary classroom.

What a fun tome, and will be a great companion to the recently-released biography.  The illustrations reflect the spirit of Mr. Roger's, and visiting the poetry and songs will bring back memories for many an 80s child.