This was one of my favorite books growing up and now my 3 year old son loves this book too. He really got into at age 3.5 and it is one of the few non-electrical things that can get him to sit quietly for 20 minutes or more. He loves looking at the machines and pipes and electrical lines and tracing how things "go" or are made. I like this book as a parent since it shows how things work and that houses, letters, food, clothes, wood, electricity, roads, and clean water don't magically appear but are the end result of a long process. Plus, I like that it shows capitalism at work and how money is exchanged for goods and services and nothing is "free". It was going to become my standard gift for 3rd birthdays, but when I ordered a copy from Amazon for a friend's child I was disappointed to see that this book is now abridged. My 1968 edition is 93 pages, whereas the "new" 1979 edition is 63 pages with 6 of the original stories missing and it no longer has the the inside covers that show the people of Busytown. My son loves looking at the back inside cover which shows everyone sitting down to dinner together; he likes to pretend he's eating the mountain of hot dogs, the giant ice cream cone, etc...
The missing stories are:
Mother's Work is Never Done, Sergeant Murphy of the Busytown Police Dept, The Airplane Ride, Digging Coal to Make Electricity Work for Us, Cotton and How We Use It, and Water.
The included stories are:
Everyone is a Worker, Building a New House, Mailing a Letter, A Voyage on a Ship, Firemen to the Rescue, A Visit to the Hospital, The Train Trip, The Story of Seeds and How They Grow (corn), Wood and How We Use It, Building a New Road, and Where Bread Comes From.
Of the missing stories, The Airplane Ride, Coal & Electricity, and Water are among my son's favorites and I like reading him the Cotton story since it shows how cotton is spun, dyed, woven, and turned into clothes.
I'm bummed that this is not the book I remember and I am not as excited to be giving it as a gift. Now it's just a good book instead of a GREAT book. I hope Random House will pay attention to these reviews and reprint the original unabridged book. And I hope my kids treat MY book gently because apparently it's irreplaceable.
Enjoy fast, FREE delivery, exclusive deals and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Frequently bought together
$28.72
Get it as soon as Monday, Jul 31
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
What do customers buy after viewing this item?
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
J.S.
Mein allerschönstes Buch vom Backen, Bauen und Flugzeug fliegen (deutscher Titel)
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on September 3, 2015
bingo303
Kindheitserinnerungen werden wach... leider fehlen ein paar Geschichten
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on July 11, 2011Hannes
Eines der besten Bücher für die Altersgruppe 2-5
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on November 11, 2012
