HARDCOVER BOOK:

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

From Fred Rogers Productions comes a delightful gift book that shows how the wisdom of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood is as relevant for adults as it is for children. With colorful illustrations and quotes that touch on themes of kindness, empathy, self-care, respect, and love, this is the feel-good book for our times.

More than just a children’s television show host, Mister Rogers was the friend who helped us appreciate the good things in ourselves, in others, and in the world around us. As soon as he stepped through his front door to change into his cardigan and sneakers, we knew we would meet new people and discover new things. Revisit some of Mister Rogers’ greatest guidance that we learned alongside Daniel Tiger, X the Owl, King Friday the XIII, Henrietta Pussycat, and more, including:

You are special
Be generous with your gratitude
Feed the fish
All kinds of feelings are okay
Don’t forget the fun
And other caring thoughts!

Book Length: 128 pages

4 DVD SET:

This special set celebrates the 50th anniversary of the beloved Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Watch as Mister Rogers helps children learn the importance of being kind to others, appreciating what makes everyone unique, recycling and taking care of our planet, and much more in these 30 memorable episodes of the classic series!

BONUS! The series premiere in original black-and-white!

Episodes:
1464 – Helping Children Know What to Expect at School
Pretending is one good way to learn. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Prince Tuesday, Daniel Tiger, and Ana Platypus begin their first day of School, where there is time for learning and for play. Mister Rogers suggests that children could play about going to school and what it might be like there.

1471 – Creating with Friends is Different than Playing Alone
Visiting storyteller Jay O’Callahan tells a story of “Bubble Trouble.” In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, opera star John Reardon offers to write a new opera. Daniel Tiger and Francois Clemmons talk about how people are different on the outside, but similar on the inside.

1490 – Play is the Work of Childhood
Mister Rogers walks on stilts and talks about how long it took him to learn to walk on them. Bob Dog helps persuade Lady Elaine Fairchilde to return to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. A big play celebration follows with everybody joining in, even King Friday. Mister Rogers talks about loud play and quiet play, and all the different ways there are of playing.

1500 – Respecting All Living Creatures
Mister Rogers visits the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., where he helps prepare food for the giant pandas. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Ana endures the elaborate birthday parade and finally receives her birthday present – a kitten to love and hug.

1510 – Ups and Downs of Friendship
Mister Rogers uses empty milk cartons, oatmeal boxes and other household cast-offs to create a miniature sandbox village. He explains that getting to be friends is like building bridges. Although friends often have hard or sad times, they can also build a stronger friendship each time they are together. It’s raining in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe where the neighbors are finding their own ways to be peaceful together.

1515 – Learning about Rules and Limits
Folk singer Ella Jenkins visits Mister Rogers and sings and plays a song on a harmonica. Mister Rogers has a Neighborhood board game with the different Make-Believe neighbors. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, it’s time for the Olympic Games which begin with a grand parade.

1531 – Appreciating the People Who Came Before
The love of children for the elders in their families is explored this week. Mister Rogers visits a trolley museum and sees various trolleys and the controls that make them work. Then he shows how he makes his Neighborhood Trolley work and how to make a pretend trolley from a simple box. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, a new flying trolley comes with a message that Collette, Grandpere’s granddaughter, will be coming for a visit.

1540 – Food and Love Go Hand in Hand
Mister Rogers visits a friend to make homemade spaghetti noodles. In Make-Believe Bob Dog admits to Daniel that is was he who made the soup cans grow on trees. Old Goat and the Northwood neighbors are thankful for the food they have received. Neighbors agree friendship is a special kind of food. Mister rogers tells viewers that there are many other kinds of food too – food for the eyes, for the ears, and for the spirit.

1550 – Music As a Way to Express Feelings
Mister Rogers’ visits Tim O’Horgan who shows viewers his collection of unusual musical instruments. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe all Neighbors from Westwood, Southwood, and Northwood join in to celebrate a Bass Violin Festival. Mister Rogers plays the piano and shows how he might play if he feels happy or if he feels angry.

1552 – Families Come in Different Shapes and Sizes
Mister Rogers shows a film of a bird family, and an origami artist demonstrates how to make paper birds and puppets. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, a puppet couple, Betty and James, adopt a baby daughter. Mister Rogers talks about how there are many different families of birds, just like there are many different families of people.

1564 – Celebrating Big and Little Things
Mister Rogers has a celebration in honor of his young television friends saying, “The world can be a better place because you were born into it.” He shows how people make candles in a factory. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, the comet arrives, the Neighborhood celebrates, and plans are made for a birthday opera in Henrietta’s honor.

1570 – Lots of Different Things for Play and Pretending
Mister Rogers visits a toy lending library and see children playing with different kinds of toys. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Prince Tuesday learns to ride his bike, and also learns to share it. And, at last, when the Neighbors open the locked room – they find something unexpected and learn a wonderful lesson about imagination.

1581 – Each Person is Unique – Yet We All Have Much in Common
Mister Rogers, with the help of his ventriloquist dummy Hischer Boobtrunk, learns that sign language and talking can be two different ways of saying the same thing. There’s a visit to an antique car show for a chance to talk about how cars are alike and different. In Make-Believe, Queen Sara and Mayor Maggie decide to trade jobs for a day.

1595 – Being Kind to Ourselves and Others
In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Broadway superstar Tommy Tune enchants the Neighbors with his dancing and his kindness. He even enchants King Friday, who has been unkind all week long.

1600 – Nobody Knows What You’re Thinking Unless You Tell them
Mister Rogers deciphers an invisible ink note from Mr. McFeely and shows a video of how people make suitcases. The Neighborhood of Make-Believe swings with Queen Ida and her zydeco music. And the final secret of the week is a surprise party from all the Neighbors to wish Mister Rogers’ a happy birthday.

1605 – Games Can Be Fun, But Not If You’re Left Out
Mister Rogers and Mr. McFeely go bowling where they not only have a chance to bowl, but also to see how pins and balls are set up. In Make-Believe there’s a game of hide and seek that’s fun for everyone.

1620 – Recycling and Other Ways to care for Our Planet
Mister Rogers makes a puppet show using boxes and materials that would have been thrown away. Mr. McFeely brings a real goat to visit. The Neighborhood of Make-Believe’s garbage problem is solved with the cooperation of many people, especially Old Goat, by dividing the garbage and recycling it.

1629 – Learning to Take Care of Yourself
Mister Rogers brushes his teeth in his bathroom and talks about how important it is to take care of our teeth. He visits his dentist’s office where he shows some of the many things that would be involved in a dental checkup – the dentist’s gloves and masks, the special chair and light and some of the dentist’s tools. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Neighbor Aber sings “It’s the Style to Wear a Smile.”

1638 – Trying on Different Roles
Mister Rogers plays dress-up with wigs and glasses, and says that, “You can get dressed up in the fanciest of things, but the best style comes from inside, and it often spreads on your face with a smile.” He shows a video about how people make sneakers. In Make-Believe everyone is looking for the King’s lost crown.

1645 – We All Have Art Inside of Us
Mister Rogers shows a picture of a blue tree. In art, you can make things any way you want. He shows slides of some famous masterpieces and talks about visiting art museums. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, everyone is concerned about the clay mess that Lady Elaine has made. King Friday decides there should be a portrait done of everyone in the Neighborhood. Mister Rogers visits the studio of author/artist Eric Hill, creator of the “Spot” books.

1656 – Understanding Concepts of Up and Down
Elevators and escalators – Mister Rogers shows some toy machines, and rides on real ones that lift people and cars. There’s even a hydraulic platform delivered by Mr. McFeely in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. It doesn’t matter if you have fancy toys or simple toys or just your imagination, your real friends are the ones who like you for who you are – not for what you have.

1665 – The Strength of Love – Even Through Angry Times
Mister Rogers blows some bubbles and calls a plumber because the water in his house isn’t working . A bubble-maker is a part of the “soap opera” in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe: “As the Museum Turns!” Lady Elaine forgets her lines, but she is assured that people will still love her. A Filipino chef makes spinach egg rolls; giving and receiving food are important ways to say “I love you.”

1687 – Appreciating our Uniqueness
Mister Rogers shows a photo book of twins and explains that even though identical twins look alike, each one is unique. Exercise teacher, Marilyn Barnett, visits with twins who do “mirror” exercises. Mr. McFeely surprises Mister Rogers with a gift of wooden shoes and a video of how people make them. Mister Rogers reads a book with photos of children with disabilities who can do some exercises and not others – yet each one is special.

1697 – Some Things Change…Some Things Stay the Same
Looking carefully can help children with growing and learning. Mister Rogers has a purple flowered plant and takes time to look at it closely. Mr. McFeely delivers a video about some transformations in nature, like plants growing, flowers blooming, snow melting, and a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. A teenager juggles while she rides a unicycle.

1705 – Needing Help and Giving Help
Mister Rogers meets with some children who are making crafts at the Inner City Art Center in Los Angeles. In Make-Believe, Lady Elaine’s friends help her conquer her fear of vacuum cleaners; they’re just for picking up dirt. Mister Rogers says that talking about feelings can help, especially when you’re afraid.

1720 – Feeling Good About Who We Are
A hula hoop expert, Paul Tifford, gives Mister Rogers some lessons. It takes a lot of practice to be able to use a hula hoop well. Falling and getting up again are a part of learning, for toddlers and for most things in life. Mister Rogers shows a video of babies learning to walk. Mister Rogers helps children know that somehow inside of us, we know what we’re able to do and what we have to just keep trying to do. No matter what we can or cannot do, we’re still lovable just the way we are.

1721 – Encouraging Generosity and Gratitude
When people share something they love to do, that’s like giving a gift. Author/illustrator Eric Carle gives Mister Rogers and viewers a “gift” when Mister Rogers visits him at his studio and he shows how he created the art for his book, “From Head to Toe.” There’s a video of how people make fortune cookies, and in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, King Friday isn’t very appreciative of a gift he receives.

1730 – Strengths and Limitations, Abilities and Disabilities
Mister Rodgers reads a book about a dog named Zak. There’s also a video visit to the Center for Creative Play, a place where children of all abilities can play. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, the neighbors find out the “make-believe” gorilla really is and learn that it’s with our hearts (and not just our eyes) that we get to know someone.

1759 – Enjoying Books and Recognizing Symbols
What’s in Mister Rogers’ box? There are words for people who know how to read words, pictures for people who know how to read pictures – and a toy truck! Mister Rogers shows a video with different big trucks. Chuck Aber visits with puppet H.J. Elephant and reads a book about signs. In Make-Believe, H.J. Elephant feels more confident because he can read sign language and so he agrees to be on Lady Elaine’s Reading Game Show. In Mister Roger’s Neighborhood, Mr. McFeely’s video is about making handmade paper.

1765 – Valuing All Kinds of Art
It’s the Neighborhood of Make-Believe Arts Festival with all the neighbors finding their own ways to express themselves. Mister Rogers encourages his “television friends” to appreciate the wide variety of art: dancing, painting, drawing, dressing up, cooking, playing an instrument, videotaping and much more! Learning to appreciate themselves and others is one of the most important signs that we’re growing inside. “I’m proud of you!” Mister Rogers sings to his viewers.

Bonus Material: Yes
0001 – The First Program (Black & White)
The first episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, at that time spelled as one word, Misterogers, includes many of the same elements millions of people came to know about Fred Rogers and some that are different as the program evolved. There is his care and understanding of children, his ability to help us see the world as children do and the playful twinkle in his eye. Mister Rogers enters in his coat and changes into his sweater, shows his viewers around his house in “this very special studio of ours,” and sends the Trolley into the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.

Extra material: Yes

Play Length: 870 minutes