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    Mary Poppins: Illustrated Gift Edition
    Mary Poppins: Illustrated Gift Edition
    Mary Poppins: Illustrated Gift Edition
    Ebook192 pages4 minutes

    Mary Poppins: Illustrated Gift Edition

    By P. L. Travers and Lauren Child

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    An exquisite flagship gift edition of an iconic classic, illustrated by the former Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Lauren Child.

    When Mary Poppins arrives at their house on a gust of the East Wind and slides up the bannister, Jane and Michael Banks’s lives are turned magically upside down.

    Who better to reimagine this endearing children’s classic than today’s most instantly recognisable and best-loved artist-illustrator? Lauren Child brings the magic of Mary Poppins into the hearts and imagination of readers and fans new and old.

    First published in 1934, Mary Poppins has been delighting readers ever since, both in books and on film. This stunning edition is published ahead of the release of the hotly anticipated Disney film Mary Poppins Returns.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins UK
    Release dateNov 1, 2018
    ISBN9780008289386
    Mary Poppins: Illustrated Gift Edition
    Author

    P. L. Travers

    P. L. Travers (1899-1996) was a drama critic, travel essayist, reviewer, lecturer, and the creator of Mary Poppins. Ms. Travers wrote several other books for adults and children, but it is for the character of Mary Poppins that she is best remembered.

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    Reviews for Mary Poppins

    3.5/5

    92 ratings72 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Definitely a favorite for all time, as well as the 3 others in this series! Every child should have a copy! I disliked the movie, and the books are way better. I still read these over and over, even though I am a teenager! They'll always hold a special place in my heart!
    • 4/5
      Mary Poppins is blown by the wind to the Banks' house to help care for Jane, Michael and their twin brother/sister. The kids soon learn of Mary Poppin's magical world. Each chapter is a new adventure full of magic and mystery. Unfortunately when the West Wind blows in, Mary Poppins leaves with it, but adds a note saying, "au revoir" so the children know she'll be back next time.I'm so glad I read this book. It was nothing like I thought it would be. How completely different from the Disney version! A true treasure of classical children's literature. I had no idea Mary Poppins was so unfriendly! Mean Mary... why does everyone love you, though? Will definitely need a copy for my classroom! And will have to read the other 7 in the series AND see the Disney movie again to make notes. :)
    • 4/5
      I read and enjoyed Mary Poppins decades ago and over the years had forgotten how different the "book" Mary Poppins and the "movie" Mary Poppins were. They're both magical, but when it comes to personality, they are complete opposites. Mary Poppins in the movie makes a point of saying that she's never cross when she first arrives in the Banks household. Mary Poppins in the books often comes across as almost always grumpy.

      The books also include Jane and Michael's twin siblings, babies John and Barbara. A chapter entirely devoted to the infants creates a fascinating perspective where babies have special wisdom.

      Adventures with Mary Poppins occur immediately. Mary Poppins' world is magical and fascinating, and full of life lessons told in strange and wonderful ways. The children have tea with Mr. Wigg (Uncle Albert) on the ceiling, meet Fannie and Annie at a magical bakery, take bedtime adventures to see paper stars get glued in the sky, and watch the zoo’s events after bedtime.

      In the end, just as quick as she arrived, the wind changes and Mary Poppins is off. She calls “Au revoir!” as she floats away, but the author assures readers they will meet again.
    • 3/5
      Disappointing. I didn’t expect it to be as flashy as the movie, but it just wasn’t very compelling.
    • 3/5
      This was a very enjoyable read. The children were surprised by how much they actually liked it. Disney's Mary Poppins bears very little resemblance to Travers', although charming in her own way. The fantastical silliness of each and every chapter was brilliant.
    • 5/5
      I can’t believe I didn’t read this book as a kid because it’s right up my alley! Magical realism all the way!
    • 4/5
      I always forget just how creepy Mary Poppins is compared to the movie. I love the movie too, but it's not surprising that P.L. Travers was pissed off at Walt Disney for changing the character completely.
    • 3/5
      The story is much the same as the one in the movie- the childrens' nanny disappears abruptly, and just as the mother is getting into a tizzy over finding a new nanny, Mary Poppins arrives on the front steps. She is very mysterious and proceeds to lead the children on various madcap adventures. The differences between the book and the movie, plot-wise, are minimal- Bert is a match seller instead of a chimney sweep, there are four children instead of two (but the other two are babies and don't often factor into the story), the children don't come on the trip into the street painting, the mother is not a suffragette, etc. Nothing big. What is different, however, is the character of Mary. In the movie she is stern at time, but generally lovable and charming, making it easy to see why the children love her. In the book, on the other hand, she's kind of creepy. She is consistently described as incredibly vain (the book has her staring at her reflection every few pages), rude (she denies that any of the adventures ever happens and mocks the children for believing in them), and short-tempered. The children appear to be terrified of her, since they regularly check themselves out of fear of her reaction. They do, however, also seem to adore her, for reasons that are not clear. As for me, I would not want to know this woman, much less have her care for my children. Creepy, creepy, creepy.
    • 2/5
      The characters are not likeable, least of all Mary Poppins. The chapters read as a set of disconnected stories with very random things occurring with no real reason. Most irritatingly, there are random words improperly capitalized. The writing in general is not very good and I am really at a loss as to why this set of stories is such a favorite.
    • 3/5
      "Something strange and wonderful had happened at Number Seventeen, Cherry Tree Lane."

      Mary Poppins arrives at No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane, the house of the Banks', from out of nowhere just as their old Nanny disappears with even less announcement. This is the first book in a series of six about Mary Poppins, and in this instance she concerns herself with the Banks' children, Jane and Michael, and the twins Barbara and John.

      What follows after her arrival include days out that turn in to wonderful trips from fairytales and magical happenings that are only remembered in a dream-like trance.

      Most of us will know Mary Poppins from the musical film, and that is where I first met the magical Nanny. I didn't even realise Mary Poppins had first been a novel until Victoria Coren Mitchell presented a programme about it before the Disney film Saving Mr Banks came out. I was never entranced by the film, however, but was content enough to hum the songs whenever the occasion arose.

      Knowing it was first a book filled me with intrigued, as did the fact that P.L. Travers, author of Mary Poppins, did not like the film much. I found that quite brave and wanted to see why and I have to say that I fully understand why. The only part of the film that I can truly say is as beautiful as the book is the casting, acting and portrayal of Mary by Julie Andrews.

      I feel it wrong to continuously compare the book to the film, since they are two different mediums completely, so here they shall part company. Travers manages to write a children's book that does not talk down to children at all, and those are the best kind. The words used are not simplified in to nonsense, nor are they prim and proper like any mother would wish their child to use. It is plain and simple and easy to read, but not so easy upon your imagination. Mary Poppins not only takes Jane and Michael on adventures but has adventures on her own, something which I found to be exceedingly charming especially considering her rather snobbish nature.

      I considered giving Mary Poppins 4 stars, but found that I didn't want to, mostly because I haven't read the entire series and feel that I need to rate it as a whole, but also because it wasn't as magical as I was expecting it to be. It was quaint and charming, and I certainly enjoyed every minute of it, but I was not captivated quite as I'd like. Perhaps with more knowledge of this woman whom just blew in off the wind, but who knows?

    • 2/5
      Oh I know most people rave about this book and I've not too much company in my impressions here, but I didn't love this book as much as I'd expected to. I thought it was well written for a children's book (yes, for a children's book- despite the fact that P.L. Travers wanted to be known as a writer, not a children's author, to me this is a children's book, w/the characteristic repetitions and humor) I guess I wasn't too thrilled w/the character of Mary Poppins. She was irascible, unpredictable, rude and ornery, and yes mysterious and magical too. But somehow despite her mystery, she just was not endearing to me, and so I didn't feel like reading more about her. I don't think I'll be reading the series after all.
    • 4/5
      The classic tale about the nanny who could do it all. Mary Poppins, appears to be a children's novel but surprised me. Travers' writing style was great. Worth the read.
    • 5/5
      Story of Mary Poppins, the nanny, that comes to take care of the Banks family children. She takes them on magically escapades and tells them magical stories.
    • 5/5
      Travers has created a delightful world and, for those of you who have been hiding from the motion picture, please read this and Travers' associated titles BEFORE you get the sugar-dwopneed Mary at the movies. The original Mary Poppins is aq sour-faced, sniffing pain, mjuch unlike Julie Andrews' smilin, peky portrayal. Well, Travers can do as he wants, can't he? He is British and Mary is his creation, not Disney's.
    • 5/5
      The book is "darker" than the movie was, yet it allows children to express their fears of abandonment and hopes for a better future. Some of the mysterious conundrums children are faced with in their attempt to understand adults are explored, though they are not necessarily resolved.While I am glad to have listened to the audible edition of this first volume, I am not tempted to continue with the series.Thompson gave a 5-star performance as a narrator. First class!
    • 4/5
      Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers It's been a while since I watched the iconic movie that was based on this book, but its a funny thing when something can be so familiar and yet so foreign. The feel of the book is what I remember the feel of the movie to be but the scenes are certainly different. It seems that they either took quite a bit more artistic license than we see today or they based the movie on several books in the series.
      I did try really really hard to disassociate the book with the movie. It should have been easier given what I said about the scenes, but the characterization was so close to what I remember and the wonder in the midst of ordinary things. I'm definitely adding it to the list of books I need to read with my son as his reading comprehension improves.
    • 5/5
      I read this book when I had seen the film at about age eight or nine years old. There are many whimsical details,and I have always enjoyed the movie. What a masterpiece!There is a magical quality to the book,too. Mary Poppins seems less cheerful in the bookthan Julie Andrews' portrayal. I'm not sure if the magic compass is in the film. A good read. I also enjoyed "Finding Mr. Banks,"the dramatic movie about the friendship between P.L. Travers and Walt Disney. An enduring combination of great talents!
    • 4/5
      A surprisingly idiosyncratic novel. Completely different from the movie - in some ways much more satisfying, though without the stable narrative drive of the film. The novel is more episodic, and without any explanation of why Mary appears or why the Banks children particularly need her.
    • 4/5
      Another case of "the book is better than the movie." Sacrilege? Maybe. The book doesn't have Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, the book's Mary Poppins isn't quite so perky (possibly bordering on the stern), Bert isn't a chimney sweep, the parents are much less visible, and there are twin babies included. But there was something warmer and more touching about the book, a bit more real-life in spite of the magic. And I liked it better.
    • 3/5
      These are great stories. My dislike of them is not just Mary Poppins' denial of events that have happened, but the angry, bitchy way she does it!
    • 4/5
      A mysterous nanny appears with delightful tricks. She leaves as strangley as she comes. She is not as nice as Julie Andrews.
    • 5/5
      The "unrevised" version. What that means, basically, is that the story about MP and the kids traveling around the world with a magic compass is decidedly NOT politically correct!! They meet Asian, African, Eskimo and Native American people who all speak with a "dialect" that is pretty primitive. The revised version has them meeting tigers, polar bears, and the like. I like this one because it is old!
    • 1/5
      I kept getting this one recommended to me, so I picked it up from the library. It's not great at all. Stick with the movie. The connection is tenuous at best, and features none of the wit, themes, or charm that made it great.The plot has no cohesion. The chapters are more like vignettes. In fact, the very second chapter, the one after she's been employed and the scene is set, is her hanging out with Bert. No establishing scene of her with the kids. And to boot, Bert only has a one-shot appearance.Occasionally, something magic happens, like Mary Poppins hears the babies talking (babies that are not in the movie), or they take a magic umbrella to various spots around the world (which was originally cut for being racist). But it's filled with stodgy Britishness, which makes the characters and the path they take unlikeable.
    • 3/5
      Like most children of my age, I grew up with Mary Poppins the movie. Recent interest (and intrigue) regarding the animosity between P.L. Travers and Walt Disney - most recently turned into a lurid movie starring Tom Hanks - spurred several dissections of book vs movie. My curiosity piqued, I added it to my wish list last night - and was pleasantly surprised by serendipity when on a display at a new bookstore, I spotted this gem sitting upright by the door.

      My brother was driving, so I managed to read the entire book before we even made it home.

      Despite what the drama between Travers and Disney would lead you to believe, the book did not strike me as too much different from the movie. There are more whimsical adventures - including two absolutely charming ones of a trip to the zoo at night and a star come down to do her Christmas shopping - and Mary is portrayed as slightly more vain, slightly more stern than kind, but overall, I felt it was fairly faithful. One chapter in particular, a relation of the (missing from the movie) twin babies, was bittersweet. The exchanges between Mary and the starling do more for her character than chapters of exposition ever could.

      All in all, Mary Poppins is a delightful mystery - the nanny who enchants whether through book or screen, and - as always - practically perfect in every way.
    • 4/5
      I had started reading this book awhile back, but my son wasn't interested, so I didn't finish it. Before I sent it off for donation, I decided to read it again and really enjoyed it. The Disney version is a definite interpretation of this version.It was very hard to imagine Julie Andrews' character in this book. Also, in the book there are 4 Banks children. I guess they didn't think that two babies would add to the movie at all. A lot of the scenes from the movie are taken from the book, but there are some chapters of the book that were totally omitted from the movie, but are quite entertaining. Mary Poppins, as a nanny, is quite an interesting character. I was never sure that actually liked the children, though she was quite efficient at her job.There are clever ideas in the book and it is well written, if a bit old fashioned.
    • 4/5
      Mary Poppins in Travers' book is more wild than the Disney version, but appealing all the same. She is something outside the normal world and wins the hearts of her charges by the magic of being near her.
    • 4/5
      Mary Poppins is the unexpected nanny that arrives on the wind and leaves the same way. She has whimsical magic, can understand the sparrows, talk to babies, and jump into sidewalk landscapes. I grew up watching the Disney version and this is quite different. This story has the odd, nonsensical tenor of a fairy tale. I enjoyed it, and was also perplexed by it. It doesn't have the tidy moral lesson that the movie adds, but I bet it appeals much better to young children. Morality tales make parents more comfortable, not necessarily their offspring.
    • 4/5
      This is the latest in my ongoing, informal, off-and-on project of rereading books I enjoyed as a kid. Although it's possible this one just barely qualifies; I'm fairly certain I did read it at a very young age, but I remembered absolutely nothing about it, including whether I enjoyed it or not. Although it's probably pretty safe to assume I did.I do remember reading somewhere that the movie version of Mary Poppins softened her character significantly, to the point where P. L. Travers was pretty miffed about it. I haven't seen the movie since I was fairly young, either, so I can't make any specific comparisons, but from what I remember of it, I totally see her point. It's completely impossible to imagine this version of Mary Poppins prancing around singing about spoonfuls of sugar. This Mary Poppins is truly wonderful -- in the sense of being full of wonders -- but she's not exactly nice. Which, being someone with a low tolerance for the saccharine, myself, I quite liked.This isn't really much of a coherent story, more a loose collection of fantastical anecdotes. But it's cleverly written and lots of fun, and it holds up remarkably well, both for a book written in the 1930s, and for a children's book revisited as an adult.
    • 4/5
      If one can say such things about a fantasy, the main character is much more realistic than the sugary Disney version.
    • 5/5
      I quite enjoyed this, which surprised me, considering how disconcerting I found the movie when I was younger, and how rude and vain of a person Mary Poppins is here. But for me, this book reminded me of a slightly darker version of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle or Pippi Longstocking books--you know, books about a whimsical, magical-ish person (a large part of what my EL510 class and I talked about was defining, exactly, the parameters of the magic that existed in MARY POPPINS, or how much magic Mary Poppins really has), with each chapter relating a standalone adventure. However, in between the vanity and the slightly darker aspects--the clueless nonmagical adults, the insults, the propensity of shadows (arrrgh, I've been corrected by the VHS movie version!!)--there is poignant commentary about "magic" (define it as you will) and our acceptance of it in our lives.

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    Mary Poppins - P. L. Travers

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