Mary Poppins Comes Back [Hardcover]

Contrary to what SOME people may think not ALL "Right Wing"ers (I assume they mean conservative, Pro-life Christians, which I am)are book burners or anti-Mary Poppins. I LOVE M.P. and so do my six children. I read it as a child and loved it and am now reading it to my younger kids. It's wonderful literature, everyone should own it for their home library, especially homeschoolers like us! Great vocabulary, literary elements, geographical/historical info. and pure FUN!

As to the "Bad Tuesday" chapter, we just read it (revised version) and loved it. Every child has times when they feel that way - mad at the world. Forcing them to "be nice" may not always be the answer. Even kids need to vent sometimes! I think this chapter was great. Seems like everyone mostly ignored Michaels bad behavior, instead of giving him the attention he was after and then he suffered the "consequences" of his own misbehavior in the end when the animals turned on him! Then Mary was there to comfort him in her very distinct way (I think she only pretends not to care and the kids know it!) and he was apologetic and a changed little boy. I think this chapter is good because it shows kids that feeling and acting "bad" sometimes is normal and that even good kids (as Michael usually is) sometimes misbehave but that their family still loves them and will forgive them. (And that if you're TOO bad wild animals may get you!!!)

And to anyone trying to read something into it (witchcraft, Eastern religion) - GET REAL! It's a fun children's book, nothing more. It's pure fun and fantasy. No different or more evil than Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, Winnie the Pooh, or any classic fairy tale (Cinderella, Snow White, etc). Fantasies stimulate the imagination, expand the mind, foster a love of reading and literature, and make the heart sing! Good books are one of the best part of childhood - let's not spoil them for kids with our conspiracy theories.

Many fantasy stories tell tales of brave knights, battling wizards, and beautiful princesses who need to be rescued. This fantasy, however, is nowhere near that. It is a story of an English nursemaid whose name just happens to be Mary Poppins. Mary Poppins is a classic tale of one woman who changes the lives of four siblings. The author, P. L. Travers, has not written any other books. Mary Poppins has won six awards including: Horn Book, ALA Booklist, and Library Journal. I enjoyed this book in and out which truly shows. The one I read, being worded and formatted like the originals, had the old English that made it stand out. Just reading the pages in this book makes me want to jump around and yell: This Book ROCKS!

The story that inspired the movie Mary Poppins, starring Julie Andrews and Dick van Dike, doesn't go along as most would think the book would. As an east wind blows it carries a woman named Mary Poppins to the door of 17 Cherry Tree Lane, where she is to be the nanny of Jane, Michael, John, and Barbara Banks. One day, out on a walk, all of them find a compass that takes them all around the world, meeting Eskimos, Indians, Caribbean Natives, and a Chinese man. Later that day, they go to a lady named Mrs. Corry and her two daughters to buy gingerbread from them that comes with little stars. When they leave, Jane and Michael turn around and notice something......the shop is no longer there! That night they watched out their bedroom window to see Mary Poppins, Mrs. Corry, and her two daughters gluing the stars Jane and Michael got with their gingerbread to the sky, and the stars actually stayed there! About a week later, as Jane and Michael stare out their window they watched Mary Poppins leave with the west wind. Jane wobbles to her bed and slumps down. Then, she felt something under her pillow! What could it be?

As I read, the description made me melt into the pages of the book. It was like I was there and I could see the characters smiling at me. Listen to this excerpt from the text of the story: It was one of those curious windows where there seem to be three of you instead of one, so that when you look long enough at them you begin to feel you are not yourself, but a whole crowd of somebody else. As I read it I felt the same way the author said you would feel as you stare into the panes of the glass. The author also described the pigeons and doves as though they were real people. The fussy, chatty, gray dove Grandmothers, rough-voiced brown pigeon Uncles, no-I've-no-money-today, greedy Fathers, and the soft blue silly and anxious mother doves. I love the way the author brings forth the little detail of how Jane and Michael see the birds.

P. L. Travers made it an amusing, enjoyable story to read. I, for instance, loved it when Mary poppins took out her bottle of "Magic Medicine." When Mary Poppins took some out for Michael it was Raspberry Ice, then when she took some out for Jane it was Lemon-Lime Cordial. Next, she poured a teaspoon for each of the twins, it came out as milk! Finally, she poured out some Rum Punch for herself. In another chapter of the book the whole thing is written in the infant twins' point of view. Since the twins had not yet turned one they could still speak the language of the Starling bird, trees, Sun, and wind. Mary Poppins also could consult with the twins. That chapter of the story was so charming.

This book was amusing, adorable, and illuminating from cover to cover. It has been a sensation ever since it was first published in 1934, that's 71 years! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a desirable fantasy story that's down to Earth. It is a delightful tale for adults and children alike. You will not be disappointed, and who knows? Maybe next time when the wind blows.........

I'm not sure that P. L. Travers' classic, "Mary Poppins" really needed a sequel. She is a beloved character whose crusty exterior hides a heart-of-magical-gold. This 2nd installment is more of the same...she takes the children on magical journeys where they meet amazing people/creatures, and then she denies it ever happened. Each chapter is a stand-alone tale, perfect for bedtime reading to a child. And, just like in the last book (upcoming spoiler!), she leaves again. As before, Travers does a nice job with the characterization, but it just seems repetitive and actually diminishes the special quality of the first book.

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