Producer, magician, writer, puppeteer, minister, husband, father, Fred Rogers started out in children's television thirty years ago. The direction he trailblazed was the "creation of television programming that spoke, with respect, to the concerns of early childhood, not as adults see it but as children feel it."
He has received virtually every major award in the television industry for work in his field, and dozens of others from special-interest groups.
Fred Rogers lives in Pennsylvania.
Pre-K-- These additions to the series are of the same high quality as previous titles. Large, clear photographs show all phases of Going on an Airplane, while the text explores the details. A family with a preschool girl and a young boy traveling alone arrive at a large, busy terminal where they check their baggage and do a little exploring before boarding the plane. Once on board, they get acquainted with their surroundings. The cockpit is occupied by the pilot and a young female copilot; flight attendants are both male and female. Seatbelts are fastened, and then come the sounds and sensations of takeoff. Throughout the book, care is taken to emphasize that adults are always available to help and to look after young passengers. The same caring tone is evident in Going to the Dentist, aimed at children making their first visit. More brightly colored photographs show preschool boys and girls having their teeth examined, cleaned, and treated with flouride; no potentially painful procedures are covered here. The uses of the equipment and instruments are briefly explained in easily understood terms. Good dental hygiene is stressed, as is the concept of the dentist as a friend and helper. Both books have introductions for parents which outline the experiences from a child's viewpoint, and suggest ways that parents can help. There are other titles on these subjects, but these books are the best available for the age group. DeSantis' A Dentist's Tools (Dodd, 1988) is more technical and aimed at an older audience. Byron Barton's Airport (Crowell, 1982) covers some aspects of air travel, but is a much sketchier presentation. These books are must-haves for any library serving young children. --Lucy Young Clem, Evansville Vanderburgh County Public Library, IN
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