Customer Reviews

Mike Mulligan and More: Four Classic Stories by Virginia Lee Burton

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

So many treasury compilations are not as good as the original stories they include. Many times when a treasury is published the illustrations are badly cropped or omitted, or scrunched onto a page with text. Sometimes the text is abridged. Fortunately for us, this is not the case in this wonderful treasury of four of the gifted Virgina Lee Burton's best loved stories. All four stories are presented in their entirety, in full sized format just like the original books. Each story can be read individually and enjoyed as if it is a separate book. Nothing has been left out or crowded together. This treasury of classics includes Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, published in 1939, The Little House, published in 1942, Katy and the Big Snow, published in 1943, and Maybelle the Cable Car, published in 1952. All of Burton's beloved books have charming, colorful illustrations and storylines that honor a simple way of life. They celebrate characters who adapt to changes with determination and a positive attitude without being preachy. They are fun-filled and interesting to children.
The book also contains a short but enlightening biography of Virgina Lee Burton.
This is definitely a five star book and deserves to be a part of every child's storytime. Don't miss it!

My preschool boys can't get enough of Burton's four books in this treasury! They are enamoured by her artwork; they ask questions ad nauseum based upon their "studies" of the pages. My 3-year-old even noticed her artistic use of the text! I'm very pleased with the quality of the publication as well; it certainly matches the classic stature of Virginia Lee Burton's stories. This book has been extremely educational for my children, utterly enjoyed, and a certain heirloom in our family!

I gave this as a gift at a birthday party. There were over 50 people present. When the child opened it, he was so excited, that he stopped opening presents and crawled in his dad's chair to "read" it. His parents had to coax him to continue opening presents.
If you are trying to teach your child to ENJOY reading, Mike Mulligan is a winner. The illustrations are excellent as well.
Michael had checked Mike Mulligan out of the local library three times and was so excited to have his own copy and other stories.
Diane

I bought this book for my 3-year-old daughter. I was apprehensive that she might not like stories about machines (steam shovels, snows plows...). When I read these stories to her, she is mesmerized. She has been talking about Katy the snow plow for days. She liked Maybelle the cable car a bit less. But even if the book only had Mike Mulligan and Katy the Snow Plow, I would buy again just to hear my daughter talking about Katy.

Well before her time, Burton wrote books for young readers that can interest both girls and boys. The "Mike Mulligan" story is the reason I bought this collection to give as a gift. It is old-fashioned in a good way, engaging, sweet, but still about a steamshovel, so not too 'girly'.
Treat your children to these stories.

I would highly recommend this book. It includes the four complete stories shown on the front of the book. I purchased the book for my then two and a half year old and have been reading it ever since. He is three and a half now and it is still one of his favorite books. I love that this treasury book includes 4 stories and at a great price. Its so nice to pick up the book at night and ask him which one he would like me to read. Best of all, I love all the stories too, so I don't might reading them. They are long wordy stories with lots of heart, attention to detail and great pictures, so I never get tired of reading them. His favorites seem to be The Little House and Katy the Snowshovel. In short, I'm so please to have added this book to my children's collection and look forward to reading it for years to come.

She could express complex social, political, and economic ideas in terms that a child could understand without being didactic or preachy.

"Mike Mulligan & Mary Ann" deals with issues of obsolescent technology, repurposing and reuse, and vocational retraining for changing economic conditions. "The Little House" deals with technological change, urban sprawl, and development. Similar serious, grown-up ideas are in the other books, but in all four cases presented subtly and understatedly. All four stories give one things to talk and think about.

With the possible exception of "The Little House", all are books that will appeal to little boys; as reluctant readers are more likely to be boys than girls, this is a good thing.

It is wonderful that these classics are available with their delightful illustrations are now available in an omnibus edition.

All the kids I know who have this book are fascinated with trucks, street paving, and transportation in general. The kids learn to get more out of the simple things in life and they learn the value of hard work and the pain of obselesence (sp?).

I chose this book as a baby shower gift for a first time mom. It was well received and I know it is a Great Read Aloud.

I wanted to get mike mulligan for my friend for her baby shower. I found this instead that has 4 stories. They are all good. I was only familiar with mike mulligan and the little house. I didn't like the others quite as much but I think that is just because I didn't hear them when I was little. The book itself is very nice. I like how it includes the pictures from the pages at the beginning and end of the books that aren't in the story, since a lot of other books would have left them out when turning them into one big book like this.