Review: Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

From the moment Mary Poppins arrives at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane, everyday life at the Banks house is forever changed. This classic series tells the story of the world's most beloved nanny, who brings enchantment and excitement with her everywhere she goes. Featuring the charming original cover art by Mary Shepard, these new editions are sure to delight readers of all ages.
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!

MY TAKE:
One of my favorite movies when I was a kid was Mary Poppins, but it wasn't until recently that I read the book.

In Mary Poppins, the Banks children suddenly find themselves with a new nanny who arrives into their lives with a gust of wind. Mary Poppins is not your typical nanny, however, and the children go on different adventures with her.

As with most book-to-movie adaptations, there are a number of differences between the book and movie. One of them is the number of Banks children. In the movie, it was just Jane and Michael. There were a lot of little differences here and there, but the biggest change was Mary Poppins herself. The Mary Poppins in the movie was strict at times but she was mostly sweet and charming. The Mary Poppins in the book was mean, sarcastic and rude a lot of the time. She had her nice moments, too, of course, but for the most part, she was not likable.

I did like a number of the adventures in the book, specifically Mary Poppins and Bert's jaunt into the chalk drawing and the laughing tea party in the sky. It wasn't exactly like in the movie, but both scenes were still great.

THE GOOD:

1. There are some whimsical scenes.
2. There are some funny parts.
3. Mary Poppins' magic lasts the test of time.

THE BAD:

1. Mary Poppins is quite mean.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Then she smiled at the shoe in such a way that the shoe knew quite well that the smile wasn’t meant for it.

READ IT IF:

1. You liked the movie.
2. You like children's books that are set in an older time period.
3. You often compare books and their movie versions.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?