Back Cover Copy
A blast of wind, a house-rattling bang, and Mary Poppins arrives at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane. Quicker than she can close her umbrella, she takes charge of the Banks children-Jane, Michael, and the twins-and changes their lives forever. Unlike other nannies, Mary Poppins makes the most ordinary events extraordinary. She slides up banisters, pulls all manner of wonders out of her empty carpetbag, and banishes fear or sadness with a no-nonsense "Spit-spot." Who else can lead the children on one magical adventure after another and still gently tuck them in at the end of the day? No one other than the beloved nanny Mary Poppins.Library of Congress Summary
An extraordinary English nanny blows in on the East Wind with her parrot-headed umbrella and magic carpetbag and introduces her charges, Jane and Michael, to some delightful people and experiences.Main Description
Life was never the same again for the Banks family after the astonishing Mary Poppins blew in with the east wind. This revised edition introduces some delightful new characters. “Delightful nonsense that defies an age boundary of appreciation.”--Booklist
Born in Australia to an Irish father and a Scottish mother, P. L. Travers was a voracious reader and began to write while she was still a child. She did some acting but quickly moved into literary and dramatic criticism; she wrote some highly respected poetry as well. However, it is her series of books for children, starting with Mary Poppins (1934), on which her fame rests. The prim, kindly, and enchanting nanny takes charge of the Banks's household and brings the children a seemingly endless stream of fantasy adventures. The book was an immediate success. Walt Disney's (see Vol. 3) musical version, in 1964, brought the stories to an even wider audience. Subsequent books about Mary Poppins include Mary Poppins Comes Back, Mary Poppins Opens the Door, Mary Poppins in the Park, Mary Poppins from A to Z, and Mary Poppins and the House Next Door. Other more recent books include About Sleeping Beauty (1975) and Two Pair of Shoes (1980).