Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins
crytal avatar reviewed on + 155 more book reviews


This book is certainly not Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. It is also not "Saving Mr Banks"s Mary Poppins (which I suppose would technically also be Walt Disney's Mary Poppins.) This is PL Travers's Mary Poppins. Based off of what I have learned about the author, this is just the sort of thing that she would write. This Mary Poppins was conceited, she was snarky, rude and, at times, cruel to the children.

All of the lovely things that happened in Disney's Mary Poppins were essentially only blips on the pages. There were no dancing penguins, no escaped carousel horse rides, no kite building and most importantly (especially if you've seen Saving Mr Banks) no trip to the Bank with the children's father.

Possibly because I loved both of Disney's movies so much and they vastly differ from the book, I just didn't like this story. Additionally, I can't understand how anyone else would either. I'm generally very open-minded, but this Mary Poppins was a horrible person. And more important to the story, she was a horrible person who was a nanny! I don't understand how anyone even remotely maternal could find this book enjoyable.