Here is a photo of my 20c treasure from Booktown…

Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, Story and Pictures by Virginia Lee Burton.

Mike is an American classic first published in 1939. This copy is a little old Picture Puffin from 1977 that originally cost $1.75. The book ended up in the CFA Nothing Over $5 Sale from Coghill’s Creek Primary School, which is stamped inside the cover.

Mike and his steam shovel Mary Anne are out of work when new petrol and electric machines take over their jobs. Then Mike reads about a town called Popperville that needs a new town hall and they set off to dig the hall a cellar. They promise the town that if they don’t dig the cellar in a day they will not ask for payment. The whole town of Popperville turns out to watch and in the end they come up with an ingenious solution to everyone’s problems. This is a wonderful story about modernisation and how sometimes old is better and still has a place in society. Children who love diggers will really appreciate this picture book and will like the illustrations of the dig dig digging. There is a lot of text in this book though so it would be recommended for 4+.

Virginia Lee Burton also wrote The Little House, which she won the Caldecott Medal for in 1943 and Katy and the Big Snow. Each of these books are similar in theme to Mike Mulligan in that with grit and determination in the face of adversity you can succeed. All three have inanimate objects that have feelings and are befriended by people, which is an interesting concept.

As Katie mentioned in her post yesterday, we had a great time at Booktown and certainly plan to make a weekend of it next year. I too like Katie am envious of all the gorgeous things that other bloggers find at secondhand bookshops, thrift shops and estate sales. But I’m pretty happy with my little copy of Mike Mulligan and I wonder how many littlies have held it and enjoyed it before me.