Millie Waits for the Mail

Millie Waits for the Mail
Alexander Steffensmeier
2007

Millie seemed like an ordinary cow, but she has some strange ideas of fun.  Millie enjoys lying in wait for the mailman to SCARE him.  She continually hides, day after day, and scares the mailman.  He, of course, drops the mail for the farmer, which doesn't make the farmer happy at all.  The mailman even has nightmares.  Both the mailman and the farmer try to find ways to solve the problem and think they have one day but it only brings around more damage to more property of the farmer and the mailman.  So, Millie ends of doing something she loves in the end because of all the mishaps.

 

This story is quite an entertaining story.  Steffensmeier, the author, must have an excellent sense of humor.  I can see this book fitting well into a themed unit on the farm or farm animals.  As a fifth grade teacher, this book would be a nice read aloud to model cause and effect, as well as problem and solution.  Teachers could also use the book as a read aloud to discuss text and how different characters reacted to the problem in the story.  I think it would be enjoyed by all ages of elementary students.