Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton

Mike Mulligan tries to prove to everyone that his steam shovel, Mary Anne,  can dig up a huge cellar  for the new town hall in one day. The author has done an excellent job at  both illustration and writing the story about the importance of true friendship. I loved how Mike Mulligan was close to his steam shovel. I liked that he gave it a pretty name, Mary Anne since it truly shows that he treated it like a true friend. Mike seems to me to be such a caring and confident character, even after he was put out of the job because Marry Anne was too old to compete with newer steam shovels. Marry Ann looks like an old fashioned steam shovel but yet has a human expression as we see her smiling on every page. As I went through the story I was very concerned about the fate of cute little machine.  This is a true heartwarming story about importance of true friendship that will remain in many children's hearts.
I would have the children draw a machine and name its special features. Then I would have them draw a picture of object they use everyday but to give it human features and name it. Then they would have to write about  the things they and their objects do together and how it makes them feel.  We would also look online at the pictures of old steam shovels from the 30's when the type of steam shovels were used.