My first encounter with a Virginia Lee Burton book was The Little House. As a young child I was captivated by the story about a Little House that stayed the same while the seasons changed, time passed, and a city grew around her. I also adored the just-in-time happy ending and the idea of putting wheels on a house and moving it. I had no idea then that the book was a 1942 Caldecott Medal winner (or if I did, I wouldn’t have cared). I had little appreciation for the fact that each illustration was amazingly crafted. I just thought it was a really neat story and I could spend hours examining the pictures.

Reading this classic story as an adult, you get a whole other perspective, a sobering look at the effects of urban sprawl and modern life: “Everyone seemed to be very busy and everyone seemed to be in a hurry.” That’s what I love about Burton’s books. They work on so many different levels. And it’s amazing how she could make inanimate objects—whether it’s a house, steam shovel, or crawler tractor—come alive. 

In Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (probably her most famous book), Burton creates another inanimate object that exudes a personality and warmth kids are immediately drawn to. This time, it’s a smiling red steam shovel named Mary Anne (I love how these machines are female characters!). Will Mike Mulligan and his trusty Mary Anne dig the cellar for Popperville’s new town hall in just one day? The suspense is thrilling: “Bing! Bang! Crash! Slam! Louder and Louder, Faster and Faster.” No wonder kids today—boys and girls—still love it. Reading it again as an adult, though, I find the ending to be rather sad. It’s supposed to be a happy solution (and most young readers won’t question it), but how depressing to end up being a furnace at the bottom of a building. Anyone else feel this way? Oh well. Progress marches on and we must adapt.

If your child loves Mike Mulligan, chances are you also own Katy and the Big Snow. Katy is a red crawler tractor that works as a snow plow during the winter. One day, the city of Geoppolis is hit by a huge snow storm and only Katy can save the day (“Chug! Chug! Chug!”). The tale is simple and there’s a lot of repetition, but children are enthralled by the tractor’s determination. And, as in her other books, Burton’s distinct illustrations are filled with the kind of little details that capture kids’ imaginations.

I could go on: There’s Maybelle the Cable Car, Choo Choo the runaway train, …. It’s no mystery why these books (mostly published in the late 30s and 40s) are still in print today. The pictures are fabulous and the tales are timeless. If you read them as a child, they’re the kind of books you look forward to reading to your own children. And if, by some chance, you’re not familiar with these books, you’re in for a real treat. 

Sandra Lee Rella, mother of two, is a freelance editor and writer, and a former children's book review editor.