Michael Burton Demetrios, Virginia's second son, served as the model for the little boy who helps Mike and Mary Anne the steam shovel dig the cellar. He also attended Harvard, and served as president of Marine World Africa USA for more than twenty years. I don't know what that is, but it certainly sounds impressive.
Books:
Calico the Wonder Horse: Or the Saga of Stewy Stinker
Choo Choo: The Story of a Little Engine Who Ran Away
Katy and the Big Snow
Life Story
The Little House (1943 Caldecott Medal)
Maybelle the Cable Car
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
The Song of Robin Hood
thanks to:
http://www.hmco.com/trade/mike_mulligan/biohome.html
http://homepage.fcgnetworks.net/tortakales/Illustrators/Burton.html
http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/mss/childrenslit/vlburton.html
www.amazon.com