Mary Poppins [Hardcover]

Dr. P. L. Travers (Author), Mary Shepard (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Mary Poppins

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!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"When Mary Poppins is about, her young charges can never tell where the real world merges into make-believe. Neither can the reader, and that is one of the hallmarks of good fantasy."--The New York Times

About the Author

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. MARY SHEPARD (1910-2000) was the daughter of Ernest Shepard, illustrator of the Winnie the Pooh books and The Wind in the Willows. She illustrated P. L. Travers's Mary Poppins books for more than fifty years.

MARY SHEPARD (1910-2000) was the daughter of Ernest Shepard, illustrator of the Winnie the Pooh books and The Wind in the Willows. She illustrated P. L. Travers's Mary Poppins books for more than fifty years.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152058109
• ISBN-13: 978-0152058104
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical., December 26, 2006

By 

Justine Justine the Drama Queen (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary Poppins (Hardcover)

The entire Mary Poppins book series by the wonderful P.L. Travers is fantastic. I'm so glad to see they have finally arrived in hardcover with the original covers. No, this is not the sugary Disney movie--but this, the original story, will take your breath away with its magic and wonder. Give it a try. I think if you take these stories for what they are you will appreciate the wit and the adventure.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a classic - almost, June 27, 2009

By 

Kathy "online grandma" (Collinsville, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary Poppins (Hardcover)

Reading the books that I loved as a child was wonderful - until I realized that it had been edited to make it more socially acceptable. The chapter called "Bad Tuesday" involves a magical compass that transports the characters all over the world. The original work used the author's vision of what the people would be like, and had used some pretty offensive stereotypes of the time. But the altered version completely changed the story, not only using animals instead of people, but changing even the storyline. Would have liked to be able to see the original work also, or at least been warned that the newer version was altered to that extent.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great book to read aloud, February 14, 2007

By 

Jennifer Donovan "5minutesforbooks" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mary Poppins (Hardcover)

After my daughter (and I) fell in love with the movie and the Broadway musical, we wanted to read the book. She's in [...], and she appreciated the wry humor of this book. This book is full of fantasy and descriptive imagery and imagination. P.L. Travers is a great storyteller. The book is quite different from the movie, but it is a wonderful story that will stick with you for a long time leaving you thinking about dancing cows, talking dogs, fallen stars and the secret life of babies.