A modern classic that no child should miss. Since it was first published in 1939, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel has delighted generations of children. Mike and his trusty steam shovel, Mary Anne, dig deep canals for boats to travel through, cut mountain passes for trains, and hollow out cellars for city skyscrapers - the very symbol of industrial America. But with progress come new machines, and soon the inseparable duo are out of work. Mike believes that Mary Anne can dig as much in a day as one hundred men can dig in a week, and the two have one last chance to prove it and save Mary Anne from the scrap heap. What happens next in the small town of Popperville is a testament to their friendship, and to old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity.
Much like the story strives to prove that just because something is old, it doesn't mean that it has lost its value or usefulness, and the same can be said for this book. A children's classic since first being published in 1939, this book will appeal most to preschool kids who love construction vehicles. The illustrations are simple sketches with an old-fashioned charm and seem to harken back to a simpler time. Kids will adore the steam shovel's facial expressions and will root for the pair to finish digging the town hall in time to prove that despite being less fancy than the new gas and diesel shovels, they are just as important and capable.
This is a wonderful book that shows kids that with hard work, dedication and belief anything is possible. It also provides a little history lesson on how today's transportation system was created, from building canals and freeways to digging through the mountains in order to create a path for the railroad. The inner cover gives children an anatomy lesson of a steam shovel and points to various parts, such as the boom, teeth and levers.
While reading the story to Emily, the three-year-old I babysit, she repeatedly wondered about how the steam shovel was feeling and even noticed in one scene that it appeared to be crying. One page features a long line of townsfolk and she wanted to practice counting; we counted over 30 people! It’s amazing how children can find hidden fun in books!
--Abby