From Booklist
Gr. 3-5. Nurse Matilda is a combination of Mary Poppins, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, and TV's Super Nanny. The three tales of Nurse Matilda's entanglements with the Brown family, which were published individually in the 1960s, might have languished in out-of-print purgatory were it not for a "major motion picture," entitled
Nanny McPhee, inspired by the stories. American readers, even those "of a certain age," may not be familiar with the Nanny tales, but there's lots to warm up to, including Ardizzone's lively ink drawings, over-the-top events, and the arch, yet understated, British tone ("I understand that your children are
exceedingly naughty"). And so the Brown children are, mixing up mischief and a bit of violence. One of Brand's funny conceits is that the children are too numerous to be counted, with new ones continually being named. Still, by the third section, in which the children play havoc with several elderly ladies, the bad behavior seems gratuitous and belabored. The book's popularity in the U.S. will probably be tied to the movie's.^B
Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Product Description
Mr. and Mrs. Brown were forever having trouble with their numerous and incredibly naughty children . . . until the day Nurse Matilda entered their lives.
First published nearly fifty years ago, Nurse Matilda and its two companion books-Nurse Matilda Goes to Town and Nurse Matilda Goes to Hospital-have charmed readers ever since. Now the inspiration for the major motion picture Nanny McPhee, all three beloved books are available once again in a deluxe hardcover edition which features the three complete and unabridged books by Christianna Brand, along with Edward Ardizzone's charming black-and-white illustrations.
