Television’s Fred Rogers, the creator and chief actor of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” won accolades and fame for his ability to connect with small children. He spoke their language, understood their emotions, helped them understand the bigger world while also rendering it a place of enchantment, and acted as a gentle guide to life in general. The children watching his show often felt as if he was conversing with them directly. As one young viewer said, “I can’t leave now. Who will Mr. Rogers talk to?”
To “A Child’s Garden of Verses,” first published in 1885 and regarded as one of the most influential children’s books of the 19th century, Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) brought similar magic. In most of his poems, he wrote from the point of view of a child and addressed his young readers as equals. Like Mr. Rogers, he is tender, whimsical, engaging, and wise.
