Mary Poppins by Dr. P. L. Travers Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Mary Poppins
Book Review: Not what I expected
Summary: 3 Stars
I love this book and I am a little disappointed from the current issue. I have old issues that have much better illustrations. Over all though, a book is a book and the contents are a lot more important, so I'm happy with it.Book Review: Practically perfect in every way
Summary: 5 Stars
As a child, I was obsessed with all things Mary Poppins. I remember finding this book in our school library and checking it out again and again every couple of weeks until my teacher finally caught on and made me check out something else. Now, as an adult, I am STILL obsessed with Mary Poppins, and I still adore this book. It's very different from the iconic Disney film, but it's brilliant in its own right. P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins is much harder and at times even darker than her sunny Julie Andrews counterpart, but she's every bit as magical and magnificent as you can imagine. The book itself is incredibly well-written and is something that can be enjoyed by children and grown-ups alike.
Book Review: She's dynamic. I give her that.
Summary: 4 Stars
Mary Poppins I first read when I was seven or so. She disgusted and frightened a young child a great deal, although she also fascinated her to the point she read all her books repeatedly anyways.
Had Disney stuck strictly to the book version (and certainly Disney had a long struggle with the author over book issues) no parent would have allowed their young child to watch it. To this day, at age 30, while I enjoy the books immensely, Mary Poppin's character flaws disgust me in many ways....mostly for her coldness and her capacity for cruelty. Her soft side is rarely seen unless it is in tribute to herself. Yet she fascinated me. You also must take into account English storytelling styles, which always differed greatly from American ones or Japanese ones. As a culture, I've noticed how different ones have different story requirements that deem it a complete, satisfying piece.
For literature, she's an interesting dynamic. I do believe it is better when books portray characters as more than just one extreme in personality trait or other. Mary Poppins does this quite well. The best in literature produces intense emotions of many varieties in its readers, and the best in literature enthusiasts realize this fact.
I have one final thought. In the original version of the original book, the chapter "Bad Tuesday" was quite different than one usually finds in the current editions. PL Travers rewrote it in 1980-ish because by that time, the extreme racial stereotypes in that chapter had become outdated to the point she bent to allegations of racism and changed the chapter entirely. Parents of older children might consider finding an old edition with the original text. That is the way things were and how people thought in that time period, and it is therefore a part of history. It's a lesson that needs to be taught in order for it to never be forgotten, because once it is forgotten, it's all too easy to repeat the same mistakes. History is full of that sort of evidence. And, yes, finally, there is also the issue of historical accuracy. It's another facet of truth, even if how it is portrayed is considered by today's standards as less than politically correct.
Book Review: Spit-Spot, You're Fired, Mary Poppins
Summary: 2 Stars
Mary Poppins, you may not be aware, is vain, snappy, haughty, and very little fun. I can not believe the Disney movie sprang from this book. There are some things the same: she came on the wind, she wore an apron, she gives them medicine, and she had an umbrella. There are numerous "adventures," and some are very cute, but MP always manages to ruin the fun, snap at the four kids (2 twins, John and Barbara, join Michael and Jane), deny that they saw what they saw, and threaten them when they speak up, ask questions, or get impatient as she stands for ages in front of a shop window studying her fine relfection. Also, Bert has a very small role - one chapter or so. This is not the MP of the Disney interpretation. I would have kicked MP out before she had a chance to leave on the West Wind. Very disappointed. I thought this book was a classic for a good reason.