Mail delivery is something we all take for granted, and we shouldn’t! Post office workers and mail carriers really do deliver your mail in “any kind of weather.”
So when the announcement of the release of an iconic picture book from the USPS popped into our email feeds, the Audrey Press team decided to take a deeper look at the marvel of mail delivery through the ages.
Enjoy!
Mr. Zip’s Windy Day
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is acknowledging the 60th anniversary of “Mr. ZIP” (sometimes known as “Zippy”) with a relaunch of their iconic picture book! Mr. Zip debuted in 1963 as a fun cartoon personification for the USPS to help spur widespread usage of the ZIP code system.
Today, “Mr. ZIP,” the iconic USPS mascot who teaches children about mail and values with the now updated and revised children’s book, Mr. ZIP’s Windy Day.
The family-friendly title was released on Tuesday, October 31, from Curiosity Ink Media (CIM), a kids and family entertainment powerhouse specializing in fueling imagination and creativity through storytelling, as the first licensed release with USPS. Dynamite Entertainment serves as the publishing partner.
“Mr. ZIP” earned his nickname by being the fastest USPS mail sorter. Using his knack for numbers and speedy nature, he created a code to pinpoint location — the ZIP code!
This ingenious systematic way of coding mail was game-changing, becoming the foundation for location searches across the United States.
From New York Times bestselling author Annie Auerbach and illustrator Laura Catrinella, the book reinvents “Mr. ZIP” for a new era of young readers while celebrating the original, classic American icon introduced to Americans in 1963. Kids and families will love the interactive lift-the-flap element as they join Mr. ZIP for one windy adventure! Mr. ZIP and his trusty sidekick, B. Franklin, start their day in the mail room, then it’s time to begin the mail route. Unfortunately, when they begin their deliveries, a huge wind blows the letters away! On a mission to track them down, Mr. ZIP and B. Franklin attempt to find every last letter. Will they be able to deliver them all before the day ends?
Grab your copy of this fun and informative book at your local bookseller or on Amazon.
More Books To Help Kids Understand the Mail System and How it Began:
Seven Little Postmen (A Golden Book)by Margaret Wise Brown
Margaret Wise Brown, the author of Goodnight Moon, and Edith Thacher Hurd tell the tale of one little boy’s letter. What happens after he drops it into the mailbox? How does it get to his grandma’s house? Children will enjoy this classic Little Golden Book about the seven little postmen who got the mail through. Initially published in 1952, this beloved classic has charming illustrations by Tibor Gergely.
The Lost Package by Richard Ho and Jessica Lanan
The heartwarming story of a package that gets lost then found and an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at what happens at the post office. A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Children’s Book of 2021 A Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2021 From author Richard Ho and illustrator Jessica Lanan, the heartwarming story of a package that gets lost, then found, and an in-depth behind-the-scenes.
Delivering Your Mail (Community Workers) by Ann Owen
An introduction to the important job of mail carriers. Through fun illustrations and easy-to-read text, this nonfiction picture book describes what a mail carrier is, how their mail truck works, and how the mail must get delivered no matter what the situation. This read-aloud will give young citizens a glimpse into the lives of these valuable workers and how their careers make communities a better place to live.
Did You Know?
Did you know that the Pony Express originated in the mid-1800s-before electronic communication was even a sliver of an idea. The Pony Express was the thread that tied East to West. During the 1849 Gold Rush, the 1847 Mormon exodus to Utah, and when thousands who moved west on the Oregon Trail starting in the 1840s, the need for a fast mail service beyond the Rocky Mountains became obvious.
Mail was delivered by brave men and women on horseback who endured long and dangerous rides to bring news, mail, and supplies to those in need. The Pony Express was finally rendered obsolete on October 24, 1861, when Western Union completed the transcontinental telegraph line at Salt Lake City.
According to History Today, The riders were paid $25 a week, which in those days was good money. Each carried a gun, a waterbag and the mail, in a pouch specially designed to survive even if the horse and rider did not. Riders changed to a fresh horse at each station along the way and handed over to a new rider every 75 to 100 miles.
The Sweetwater Run: The Story of Buffalo Bill Cody and the Pony Express by Andrew Glass
In 1860, the only Pony Express job 13-year-old Will Cody could land was the “sweat and water run,” taking care of the tired and thirsty ponies. But one chilly November morning, Will has his big chance when the news of the U.S. presidential election has been entrusted to him. But should he risk his own safety and the wrath of his boss, the Terrible Slade, and ride himself?
Before FedEx, There Was the Pony Express by Baby Professor
Did you know that express mail was born way before FedEx? In the olden times, they called it the Pony Express. Yes, it was literally the use of the pony to deliver mail and packages from one part of the country to the other. The Pony Express is one important part of the US history. Learn more about it by reading this book today!
Happy Reading!
