Author: P.L.Travers
Pages: 202
Publication date: 1934 by Harcourt Childrens Books
Source: Library- ebook
Link: Mary Poppins - goodreads
Previous Reviews: Project Disney- Mary Poppins
By P.L. Travers, the author featured in the upcoming movie Saving Mr. Banks. From the moment Mary Poppins arrives at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane, everyday life at the Banks house is forever changed. It all starts when Mary Poppins is blown by the east wind onto the doorstep of the Banks house. She becomes a most unusual nanny to Jane, Michael, and the twins. Who else but Mary Poppins can slide up banisters, pull an entire armchair out of an empty carpetbag, and make a dose of medicine taste like delicious lime-juice cordial? A day with Mary Poppins is a day of magic and make-believe come to life!
I have been wanting to read this series for a while. I recently compared book to movie on my Project Disney which was about Mary Poppins so it was the perfect opportunity to read this book. I was quite surprised at the Mary Poppins in the book... she is just so moody. She doesn't sign and dance, and rarely smiles. She is quite strict with the kids and seems like she doesn't even want to be their nanny. There are four kids and not two. Mary Poppins does not try to get the family to love each other and spend more time together. Truly she doesn't really have a goal.. she just loves to have fun.
The book is really chapters full of the children's adventures with Mary Poppins. She takes them on several trips to places like the zoo at night .. where they travel through a zoo talking to animals and then discovering Mary Poppins in the middle of the zoo where all the animals are celebrating her birthday. This scene though does have a message behind it though, as the kids travels through the zoo there are humans in the cages.
There is another story about a dancing cow who couldn't stop dancing and it turns out there is a falling star stuck in it's horns. So she must jump over the moon to remove it (Mary tells the children this story when they see a cow running down the road). There is a story where the twin babies talk to a bird who comes in and out their window. They find out that some day they will get older and no be able to understand the bird. This upsets them and they swear it will never happen to them. But of course they turn one and no longer understand the bird.
So really as you can see the book is just full of adventures. Since I have not continued on in the series I am not sure why Mary Poppins comes back.. or if she ever changes her attitude. The book did read pretty fast so I wouldn't mind reading more of the stories in the series. I do think it was magical stories and would be fun to read to a child (or even an adult looking for a cute fun read). The illustrations in the book are great too.. perfect for this story.
The crystal ball says:
Clouds are covering! A read that lets me down every now and then but peaks out of the clouds!
Thanks for this great review. I have seen Saving Mr. Banks but not the original Mary Poppins movies yet or the Travers' stories, i do plan to do it thought because the Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson movie had really got me interested into this and of course reading your thoughts add to my decision-making too. Also I very much like the simplisitc Alice in Wonderland look of your blog.
ReplyDeleteAparajta @Le' Grande Codex
I was supposed to read this one in grad school and conveniently skipped out on it. lol I've wanted to go back and try it again since I watched Saving Mr. Banks. I recently subscribed to Oyster and it's on there, so I'll give it a try soon!
ReplyDeleteI read this one YEARS ago but still have it on my shelf (along with Mary Poppin Returns, which I don't think I've read). Interesting--I don't remember her attitude and you have me curious to pick up the book again. I do remember the cow, though! My copy has such lovely illustrations and I'll look forward to reading it with the girls one day.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend seeing the original Mary Poppins. Did you happen to see my Project Disney post (it was right before this one). You might enjoy reading through that one too. Thank you for your comment on my blog look.. I really enjoy it too.
ReplyDeleteOh man I would love to subscribe to Oyster!! How is it?? Seems like everyone has seen Saving Mr. Banks but me!! Hoping it comes on Netflix or HBO soon.
ReplyDeleteI think this will be a wonderful book to read with your children. So fun and neat stories. Her attitude is a little off.. but that is just comparing it to the movie. I wonder how I would've felt about Mary Poppins if I had never seen the movie.
ReplyDeleteI had my doubts about Oyster at first, but I actually think I'm going to like it. They don't have tons of new releases, but since I read a lot of backlist, I have plenty on my "to read" shelf. They also have most of the classics I own, so I can read them in physical and on my phone (when I have insomnia). lol
ReplyDeleteSounds to me like this is a very different version of Mary Poppins. Personally, I prefer the singing dancing version. LOL Thanks for the honest review!
ReplyDeleteI've always I wanted to read this series, not sure I ever will though.
ReplyDeleteI've heard amazing things about Saving Mr. Banks and I'd love to re-watch Mary Poppins. I picked up Mary Poppins on a whim at the library last year and was so disappointed! Like you I was surprised with how un-nanny like Mary was. She wasn't nice at all! I've thought about reading more of the books to see if I like it better but for now there's too many books and not enough time!
ReplyDeleteWhoa.... I didn't know this was a book as well as a movie! :O Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. O_O
ReplyDeleteMind = BLOWN
I think most people would be very surprised at this book. Unless you had heard prior about it. It was an interesting take on her.. just unexpected.
ReplyDeleteYeah..I say I will read the other books in the series. But there are just so many books out there I want to read I don't know that I will actually get to it.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I just said this to in the comment above. I too am curious does she change? Why would the children even love her. But I don't know if I want to spend more time on these books. Saving Mr. Banks is something I just picked up from the library yesterday so I should be watching it today or tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteLOLOL! Hilarious.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I don't know if you have done it yet but I would recommend doing a blog post for it. I think there are probably a lot of people out there like me who are wondering about it.
ReplyDeleteI do think she is more eccentric in the book. She is way more about her looks ... always glancing in windows to see her hat, shoes, gloves. It's a little crazy. She is so mean when they see the lady with the birds. She thinks the lady is gross and makes the kids move on. It is just really really different.
ReplyDeleteI read this book years ago and was surprised at how different it was from the movie. I haven't seen Saving Mr. Banks but I'd like to. I can understand why Travers was upset at the changes. Do you think you'll read more in the series?
ReplyDeleteI haven't decided yet if I am going to read anymore. I didn't find Mary Poppins that endearing but the stories about the things she does with the kids is quite fun.
ReplyDeleteGreat review, this is quite different from the Disney version. While not all cookies and cream, I am glad you liked some aspects.
ReplyDeleteI was reminded of some elements of MP reading your review, but otherwise I felt very similarly to you! I was surprised by how strange it was compared to the movie, which is a little strange in itself, though quite wonderful, and I really disliked Mary. It was just a really striking change from what I knew and it felt quite odd.
ReplyDeleteI did like some things. I enjoyed the fantasy tales that were included in the story. I think this is why Disney selected these books to make a movie out of.
ReplyDeleteIt did feel odd. I expected to see this.. woman who was sweet and friendly. Someone I would love to read about. Have you seen Kristen Bell play Mary Poppins??? It is really quite funny. She actually makes a beautiful Mary!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c2deb9a5e8/mary-poppins-quits-with-kristen-bell
I hadn't seen that, or heard of it, before, but thanks so much for giving me a link! I really found it amusing, and she does make such a lovely Mary! Hey, do you watch Veronica Mars, Angela?
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched Veronica Mars... but I have heard so many good things about it. And, it's only 3 seasons long so I am sure I would just fly right through it.
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