This is a fast paced yet simple story about a train that ran away. Both of my sons have loved this book and know it by heart. I definately recommend this book for any small child. They will want to hear it over and over.

This was one of my son's favorite books...and now I'm buying it for my grandchildren. Besides the hope that they will enjoy it as much, and that he will enjoy sharing it with them...there is a certain delight in wondering how many thousands of times he will have to read it...and does he still have it memorized! A great story with excellent use of language.

Great book and illustrations. My son and I love reading Choo Choo, Mike Muligan, and The Old House. He wants them read over and over and he's only two. They'll be great books later on when he begins to read.

You can't find these in bookstores! They're the best.

"Way out west in Cactus County there was a horse named Calico. She wasn't very pretty...but she was very smart. She was the smartest fastest horse in all of Cactus County." She could run like "greased lightning", and she could smell like a bloodhound. "Her nose was so keen she could track a bee through a blizzard." She was owned by a cowboy named Hank, and "...she would go to the end of the trail for Hank. They had a language all their own and understood each other perfectly." Life was good and happy for everyone who lived in Cactus County, no locks, no fences, and no sheriff or jail. But across the Cactus River were the Badlands where the villains of this story lived. And the meanest, sneakiest, absolutely worst bad man of them all was Stewy Stinker. He was so mean, "he would hold up Santa Claus on Christmas Eve if he had a chance." So sit back and get comfortable and see what happened when Stewy Stinker and his nasty gang came to town..... First published in 1941, Calico The Wonder Horse is as fresh and entertaining today, as it was over fifty years ago. This is an old fashioned, action packed, rootin' tootin' western that has it all...cattle rustling, hold-ups, a stampede and kidnapping, a wild and thrilling stagecoach chase, and through it all, Calico comes to the rescue, outsmarts the bad guys and saves the day. Virginia Lee Burton's clever, witty text is dramatic, engaging and full of wild west colloquialisms that will have both kids and adults laughing and cheering at all the fun. Her marvelous comic strip illustrations are expressive and full of detail and beg to be pored over and explored. Put it all together and you have the makings of a timeless classic to share with friends, family and future generations. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Calico The Wonder Horse is a masterpiece and a MUST for every home library.

The illustrations of this Wild West comedy saga are just as good as the lively and creative prose. Easy to read in one sitting as a great "before bed" story. The adventure and humor will keep even those with short attention spans listening intently. The ending is perfect!

My 2 1/2 year old daughter and I love this book! Best of all, and unlike many of our other favorites, the hero (Calico) is female whose merit is based on her intellect and problem-solving skills. I really like that subliminal message. I'll admit that at first I was a little put off by the artsy "comic book" format, but it grows on you, and I appreciate it more each time I read it. This book and Mike Mulligan are must-have Burton books.

i can't say this about many books, but this book is like no other. i cannot imagine the many hundreds(?) of hours it must have taken to illustrate this book. many of the illustrations contain a geometric - "spirographic" - element [click on "see larger photo" beneath the picture to get a sample]. what a masterpiece! the subject matter may not appeal to all children, but it is written in rhyme, and reads as beautifully as it is illustrated. sure, it ain't cheap, but it's worth having. the artwork is stunning.

I thought this was one of the best finds! My son does not like to read & he is 8. So I got this book since he loves Robin Hood men in tights & used the music to sing the verses of the Robin Hood tales. He loves it so well, he wants me to just read him the verses! I love all of Virginia Burtons work, but I find this one especially wonderful due to the theme of Robin Hood & the work that went into keeping the translation close to the original bards songs.

I am an Elementary School Librarian and I LOVE this calendar! It has great illustrations from many well-loved children's books. I also like that it notes the birthdays of authors and illustrators. This calendar is a great resource for librarians and teachers. Also, it's a lot of fun with bright and beautiful illustrations for anyone! The calendar grid is also a nice size with plenty of room to note appointments or whatever.

Virginia Lee Burton es mejor conocida por sus clasicos (BUENAS NOCHES LUNA, MIKE MULLIGAN), pero LA CASITA es de la misma calidad. Con un bonito ritmo y dibujos old-fashioned pero de buenos colores, mi hijo le encanta este libro. Empecemos a leer LA CASITA cuando tenia 2 anos--2 anos despues, le fascina todavia. Este libro ofrece lecciones del pasar del tiempo, estaciones y de la historia--todo por los "ojos" de una casita en el campo que ya se convierte en una ciudad. Si tu muchacho esta enamorado con coches y trenes, LA CASITA esta lleno de imagenes de tranportacion historica. Le recomendo esta traduccion excelente para ninos de 2-5 anos.

This book is absolutely fabulous! It reads extremely well to preschoolers and possibly younger children as well. Even though earth science has progressed since this book's first ptinting, it is still a great introduction to the concepts of space and time; Earth and the Universe; and mankind in Earth's history.

Also, the illustration's are beautiful! My 3yr. old is as fascinated by the pictures as he is by the story!

I read this book and "The Little House" when I was a child and it has been a wonderful experience to share these books with my son!

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!

This is a little like a child's introduction to the problems of rampant urban development! It certainly was that for me.

It's a sweet, well-organized and beautifully illustrated story of a little house that had a whole metropolis built up around it. She (yes, the house is referred to in the feminine) gets a new life on a new lot in the country when a descendant of the original owner discovers her amidst a smog-choked, noisy city.

One poignant thought: more than fifty years ago, when this story was published, there was still plenty of rural room to just pick up and move to. In this children's story some social historian could find some fine irony about the postwar suburbal exodus. But aside from an unwanted tinge of "we can run away from our problems," the story was able to point out for this young listener the ills of pollution. Still in all, a wonderful book.

This is one of earliest 'reading' books that I remember from my youth more than 40 years ago, but it still has impact on me now. Its allegorical tale of how a beautiful little house becomes encroached by urban civilization, falls into disrepair and disfavour, and then discovers a new life when a fresh pair of eyes see its intrinsic value is truly a timeless one. When I was young and had it read to me by my father it worked on a simple level, and then 25 years later when I rediscovered it by reading it to my own son, I found it working on another, quite adult level. It is truly a gem of a book with a strong message of values for today, even 50 years after it was written. Beautifully yet simply illustrated. Highly recommended.

The Little House was my favorite bedtime story, so the book's illustrations bring back memories of a happy childhood. I remember my mom reading it to me endless numbers of times. Although I did not know who wrote the book, the vivid illustrations in the book and the author's text made me realize that this little house had just as much feeling as we humans do. Just watching the serene countryside where this house stood gradually transformed into a big city filled with noise and pollution causes this little house to feel just as disappointed with urban sprawl as we humans do and to yourn for a more simpler life in the countryside. This a most a heartwarming tale of survival. In a phoenixlike fashion, the author shows that although the house eventaully becomes delapidated and forgotten, the house is eventually rescued by a descendant of the building's original owner and returned to the more peaceful life in the countryside that this house once knew.

I ordered this book for my son for his 7th b'day. He loves anything to do with transportation, and discovered Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel first. He checked that book out of the school library every week for more than a month, then I helped him find Katy and the Big Snow, and he loved it just as much. I remember enjoying these books when I was a child, and I think it is wonderful that books like these still bring enjoyment to the children today.

At 51 years of age and very recently a first time grandfather with the aid of Amazon.com I started searching for my favorite stories from decades ago. All of Dr.Suess and the Little Engine That Could to Thorton Burgess's many publications that make me smile so many years later. Of all my past memories Katy and the Big Snow was one that I checked out of our local Library at least 3 times a month. It taught me that determination is most important in acheiving goals and that good things come to those who wait and endure. These are the types of books our younger generation should be reading instead of what is available on television these days. I hope someday my Grandchildren will come to enjoy this book as I have.

Wonderful childrens book, enjoyable machinery come to life displaying a snow truck as a child. Lovely illustrations although remincent of the 50's.

Oh how wonderful this book is, in so many different ways. Written in the 40s, its illustrations hark back to an earlier era, when children were allowed to be children, and when the values we taught them were couched in terms that a child could understand. Instead of violence and video games.

Mike Mulligan and his faithful steam shovel Mary Ann have been "downsized," if you will, by the advent of gasoline-powered engines, and other "modern miracles" that have made poor, faithful Mary Ann obsolete overnight. In order to find work, Mike and Mary Ann travel over hill and dale until they come to the small town of Popperville. There, they find that the town mayor is taking bids to dig the basement for a brand-new skyscraper. Mike makes a bid, and is met with laughter. But instead of giving up...INSTEAD OF GIVING UP...he makes a deal. He and Mary Ann will dig the basement in one day. If they don't make it, they won't accept payment.

The valiant steamshovel and the equally valiant Mike set off to prove to the world that they are not obsolete, not worthless...just because they are old, just because they are now different, they still have value! And they dig, and they dig, and they dig. And soon they have attracted a large audience, all of whom are pulling for the team to win, even though it seems impossible.

In the end, Mike and Mary Ann have prevailed. They have dug the basement in one day! But just when they are being celebrated as heroes, a terrible problem arises. Mary Ann cannot get back out of the hole. What is to happen? Was it all for nothing?

The ingenious solution to the problem, and the sheer joy of the solution, warms my heart as much today as it ever did. This is a wonderful way of teaching children to persevere, to glory in their "otherness" and to grab life with both hands. It is a treasure, a classic becaue it deserves to be.

My 7 year old son introduced me to this book; I'll bet we have read it together at least 30 times in the 6 months we have had it.

Ben likes the part when they invented the gas, electric and diesel motor shovels. I can really see the story stretching his young imagination as he compares the new shovels with the old. This story has themes about hard work, perseverence, loyalty, initiative, all told in a very gentle way. My son and I have especially enjoyed reading this book at bed time on a cold winter night. There is something about the story that warms the heart.

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel is the type of book that makes you want to say "they don't write childrens' stories like this anymore." A classic in every sense of the word.

Virginia Lee Burton's classic imparts value far beyond its original intent. Sure, the saga of Mike and his beloved steam shovel celebrates the development of roads, canals, skyscrapers, and other trappings of modern infrastructure. But messages emerge on other levels. One is the inexorable march of technological obsolescence and its impact on society. Also, legal scholars (and perhaps novelist John Grisham) may appreciate the subplot involving town selectman Henry B. Swap's promise to Mike-exemplifying the practical problems of verbal contract arrangements. The happy ending is a solution entirely consistent with the book's 1939 vintage. What would happen if the same story were told in the year 2000, when fuel cells, microturbines, and cogeneration options exist? Maybe state utility regulators would get a clue from Mike and his steam shovel. Or then again, maybe not. But as-is, the delightful illustrations in this book cannot help but to endear it to children just as much today as it did sixty years ago....