Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

Homeschooling families often gravitate toward stories that highlight perseverance, creativity, and the dignity of meaningful work. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel delivers all of that in a way children immediately understand. Mike and Mary Anne’s “we can do it” attitude mirrors the mindset many homeschoolers cultivate—learning at your own pace, pushing through challenges, and taking pride in effort.

Virginia Lee Burton’s classic picture book follows Mike Mulligan, a devoted steam shovel operator, and his beloved machine, Mary Anne. For years, the two work side by side digging canals, roads, and foundations, proud of their speed and skill. But as newer, more modern machines appear, Mike and Mary Anne find themselves pushed aside.

Determined to prove their worth, they travel to the small town of Popperville, where Mike promises they can dig the basement for the new town hall in just one day. The townspeople gather to watch, and Mike and Mary Anne dig faster and faster—so fast, in fact, that they forget one important detail: how to get out of the hole once they’re done.

In the end, the townspeople decide to keep Mary Anne right where she is, turning her into the building’s furnace, while Mike becomes the janitor. They remain together, valued and appreciated in a new way.