Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel 75th Anniversary: A beloved picture book classic about Mike, Mary Anne the steam shovel, and one last job to save her in Popperville

Awesome childhood book. Brings back memories. Highly recommended for lighthearted children's stories.

I'm learning as I buy books for my wife's class that three years old is too young to probably fully "get" a lot of my childhood favorites, and that I probably remember the art more than the words as far as nostalgia goes. That definitely counts here: the art is very old fashioned but frenetic and fully of character and energy, with a story about friendship and staying the course that works, if it might go a little over the head of a classroom full of three year olds.

Pre school teacher who loved this from her childhood and now am able to share with upcoming generation. You will be saying "Why not?" Said Henry B. Swap often 😊

This is a classic, fun story that my boys love. They love to draw Mary Ann the steam shovel.

There are nearly 100 reviews of this book so I feel safe in giving my own interpretation of this wonderful story by Virginia Lee Burton. This book was written in 1939 and it still holds up. What makes a classic? When the story touches on a great truth, and Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel is not just the simple story of a man and his machine, it goes far deeper. While it's easy to enjoy the sweet story of a man who loves his steam shovel, naming her Mary Ann, and he's so proud of her that he declares that she can out-dig a hundred men. He's continually bragging that Mary Ann can dig as much in one day as a hundred man can in a week. This book gives the first clue to Mary Ann's specialness by saying that "Mike took such good care of Mary Ann she never grew old". So Mary Ann is immortal. She becomes something out of mythology. Then we have her name, Mary (Virgin Mary) Ann (Virgin Mary's mother), and Michael(Arch Angel, warrior of God). For years and years Mike and Mary Ann dig great canals for boats to go through, they cut through mountains for trains to get through, and highways for cars to move about. In other words, Mike and Mary Ann are in service to mankind. Then, when Mary Ann goes out of fashion because she's steam, and diesel engines come on the scene, work runs out for the two. No one has faith in them anymore. So Mike takes Mary Ann to a small town where the people need a basement dug for their city hall. Now Mike has to make good in his bragging, and he and Mary Ann have to dig the basement in only one day or do the job for free. (Mike has faith even though he doesn't know for sure.) They set about digging the basement and a young boy sits down to watch, showing his faith in Mike and Mary Ann. Now we have the Biblical faith of a child echoed in the story. Soon other join the boy and the more people that join, the faster Make and Mary Ann dig. When the smoke clears at the end of the day, (smoke moves between the dimensions) and they've done it! The basement is finished in time. But wait . . . Mary Ann and Mike didn't leave themselves any way out of the whole. And here's where the story really comes together, since Mary Ann can't get out of the whole, or at least she could if she ruined the whole, she becomes the steam furnance for the town hall. Mary Ann sacrifices herself and becomes something greater than she was before, still serving mankind. So instead of dying (being pulled apart for scrap) Mary Ann becomes something new because Mike loved her enough to keep her running perfectly. He's rewarded by being given the job of continuing to care for Mary Ann in her new form. Of course you can read this story as just a simple story of a man how loves his steam shovel . . .

Good Book

Quality made book

Hoping my friends new baby loves this book as much as I did.

A book I loved when I was a small boy, and one that my little boy loves now. Great pictures, a lovely story from a time less hectic.

Such a well loved classic, brought back childhood memories. 👍🏻

This was my son’s favorite book. Bought it for my two year old grandson who is infatuated with excavation equipment. He loves the book. His other Oma is buying one for each of her other three grandsons. Her name is Marianne!

Takes me back to my childhood , a beautiful story beautifully told

We ordered this book as it was a favourite of mine as a child in the 50s, and of my son in the 80s, it is now being read to my granddaughter. The book, is brand new and arrived within a few days of ordering. We are absolutely delighted and it is bringing back so many happy memories and creating them for the future.