Book 107: Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins, written by P.L. Travers. illustrated by Mary Shepard, Harcourt Book 1931

I've talked about, and recommended, this book so often that I can't believe I haven't reviewed it before now. But I haven't. So here is the review: I love this book!

More specifically, I love how this book is written. If you ever have had a three-yeard-old, you probably know they will not sit still through an entire children's novel, nor will they follow the thread of a story from one night to the next. A book in which each chapter tells a complete story and tell a larger story on the whole is an entirely different matter. Add to that the wonderful illustrations of Mary Shepard -- daughter of E. H. Shepard -- and you have a delightfully charming children's book.

Don't look for the penguin waiters, runaway carousel horses or rooftop dances scenes -- Yeah, I love that about the movie, too -- but the chapter on the dancing cow will more than make up for it, I promise.