Millie Waits for the Mail, by Alexander Steffensmeier

Steffensmeier, Alexander. Millie Waits for the Mail Title in Caps. Walker & Company, 2007. 32 pages. $16.95, ISBN 978-0-8027-9663-9

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
Millie is a cow who looks forward to the arrival of the mail carrier every day -- so she can scare him half out of his mind.  Every morning she finds a new hiding place, and every morning she is successful in frightening the postman, usually damaging the deliveries for the farmer in the process.  One day, the mail carrier decides that enough is enough, and tries make a friend by personally sending Millie her first package of her own, in the hope that things may then improve.  Of course, there are comic results from this attempt, but Millie is touched by the mail carrier's effort, and becomes a great helper to him as a result.  This book is highly recommended for 3 and 4 year-olds for its zany humor, creative plot, and the fun details in the illustrations.  This book also contains a healthy switch of the usual gender roles in picture books, as this time the farmer is a strong and capable woman.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Here is a rhyme that can accompany this book at preschool storytime:

          MAILMAN, MAILMAN

          Mailman, Mailman,
          Do your duty.
          Send this letter
          To my cutie.

          Don't you stop
          And don't delay.
          Get it to her
          Right away.