Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

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Description: Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel Mary Anne make quite a team. The inseparable duo digs the great canals for the big boats to travel through, cuts through the large mountains so trains can pass, and hollows out the deep cellars for the great skyscrapers in the city. But the introduction of gasoline, electric, and diesel shovels means big trouble for Mike and Mary Anne. No one wants an old-fashioned steam shovel like Mary Anne when a modern shovel can do the digging in half the time! Forced to travel far out of the city to look for work, Mike and Mary Anne find themselves in the little town of Popperville. Mike and Mary Anne make a bid to dig the cellar for the new town hall, promising the town that if they can't dig the cellar in just one day they'll accept no payment for the job. Will Mike and Mary Anne be able to complete the job? The whole town of Popperville turns out to watch. Virginia Lee Burton, author of such classic children's books as The Little House and Katy and the Big Snow, offers a touching portrait of love and dedication while commenting on the modernization that continuously shapes our lives. Hamilton's wonderful crayon drawings bring Mike and the indomitable Mary Anne to life. (Ages 3 to 6)

Genre: Fiction; Juvenile Fiction; Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction; Children: Grades 1-2; Classics; Juvenile Fiction / Classics; Steam shovels;

Average Review: 4.5 stars

Review: Long-time Favorite : I'm in my 50s and just bought this book for myself. The story has stuck with me for all these decades, from early childhood. The book represents wonderful lessons on loyalty, good-heartedness, and creative problem-solving. Mike Mulligan loves his steam shovel Mary Anne, and won't abandon her even when steam shovels are going the way of bustles and buggy whips. Parents won't go wrong with this fine children's book.