Synopsis
Mrs. Millie is really silly. She loves to use animal words in place of other words when talking to her kindergarten class. On a class trip to Philadelphia, the kids board a platypus (school bus), hold hens with their buddies (hold hands with their buddies), and visit the Liberty Bull (Liberty Bell). The students love to correct their favorite teacher. What fun!
Children's Literature
AGERANGE: Ages 4 to 8.
The exuberant children in Mrs. Millie's kindergarten class anticipate her silly word substitutions. They know "Cow are you?" means "How are you?" As they prepare to leave for their field trip, she reminds them to put on name badgers (badges) before boarding the platypus (school bus). The students delight in correcting her mistakes. Most of Mrs. Millie's silly substitutions feature animals in easily deciphered phrases. Mathieu has incorporated these images into the illustrations creating slapstick humor. George Washington is sitting on a bear instead of a chair; a large bull hangs near a picture of the liberty bell; and the stop at Betsy Ross's house becomes Betsy Ross as a mouse. The students are mystified, however, when Mrs. Millie promises "Men from Mars" for later in the trip. Turns out that means ice cream bars. The patriotic Mrs. Millie wears red and white Capri pants and a blue jacket covered in stars as she conducts her personalized tour of Philadelphia. She and her class of six multiracial students stand out in bright colors against mostly white backgrounds. The historical monuments are all altered to complement the whimsy of the text. A lively book which may appeal to young listeners, although some of the word play is a bit strained. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.