Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel

by Simon & Schuster

Product Features

• Four fun filled activities including a memory and matching game, a map reading game, a tutorial on h
• Original music score and narration plays in audio CD players
• For ages 4 through 8

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005AASO
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: March 3, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,704 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #68 in Software > Children's Software > Interactive Books
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel is a nostalgic children's book that has entertained generations of readers since it was penned in 1939. It's only fitting that this story about beating obsolescence with perseverance and pluck should find its way onto CD-ROM. The computer version of this classic contains an adaptation of the book, four activities, and a tutorial on the life and work of Virginia Lee Burton, the book's writer and illustrator.

This classic survives the move from the printed page to the computer screen admirably. Burton's illustrations remain intact, and though animation is added, it doesn't detract from the sunny simplicity of the original book. Fans of the original will probably be disappointed by the text, however. Burton wove her text around her illustrations--the words added visual life to the story. On the CD-ROM the text is relegated to its usual ho-hum spot, below the illustration.

The four activities in Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel are afterthoughts. There's a memory and matching game where the good citizens of Popperville come out, dance a jig, then hide behind trees and bushes. Kids must click on the hiding places and uncover the hiders, then match them up with their "twins," after which another little jig is danced. The How a Steam Shovel Works tutorial is a glorified illustration: click on a word and hear it as the appropriate part of the steam shovel wiggles or flashes. A game called The Junkyard lets kids find and piece together steam shovels using pattern recognition. Finally, in Mary Anne's Maze, kids follow directional arrows and a map to find their way out of a maze whose denizens have random demands that must be met (give the rabbit a carrot, the businessman a slice of pie, the skunk a daisy) before they'll allow passage. Even though each activity has three levels of difficulty, they don't change appreciably, and all but the youngest of kids will quickly tire of them.

The most exceptional part of this CD-ROM is for parents, or for older kids who need to do a book report on Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. The beautifully crafted section on the life and work of Virginia Lee Burton contains photographs, unpublished illustrations, and a wealth of information about Mike Mulligan's creator, all lovingly narrated by her two sons. This kids' program was obviously designed with an eye towards the grownups who read this book back in the '40s and '60s, which accounts for both its strength and its weakness. (Ages 4 to 8) --Anne Erickson

Product Description

Treat your child to a warm hearted children's classic enriched with skill building games and exciting learning activities. Follow the enchanting narration of actress Madeline Kahn in an uplifting tale of friendship, loyalty and perseverance.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars XP Workaround, February 16, 2005

By 

andrews - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel (CD-ROM)

I received this title with a bulk order and initially couldn't get it to work on Windows XP either. I went ahead and installed the program, Quicktime 2.5 and all, and then "right-clicked" on Mulligan.exe. Windows XP has a COMPATIBILITY tab under properties. I choose the "Windows 95" and the "256 color mode" and it runs. I get a reduced white screen border, probably due to the graphics roll-back, but it seems to be working. I've run the "Play in the Story" and "About the Author" sections without problems.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Sorry, can't even get it started!, February 7, 2003

By 

bensmomma "bensmomma" (Ann Arbor, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel (CD-ROM)

I had high hopes for this since my four-year-old daughter enjoys other such 'talking books' as Dr. Seuss' ABC and Green Eggs and Ham, and I remembered Mike Mulligan from when I was a kid.

But the disk won't even intall on my XP machine. Click on 'setup' and.....NOTHING.....happens. I'm going to have to send it back.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book, October 6, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel (CD-ROM)

I would highly recommend this book as my son has enjoyed reading it over and over again. I'm sure that he will also enjoy reading and playing with this story on the computer as well.