Classic Kid’s Stories: Mary Poppins

More popular as the enchanting Walt Disney musical, Mary Poppins is the nanny that makes parents look tame. She glides from the sky holding an umbrella, charms her way into everyone’s heart, is full of ‘just-right’ advice, uses music and magic to set everything right and climbs up the chimney to dance on the roof!

Mary Poppins (1934)

Author: P.L. Travelers

Now, who would have thought that a nanny could mean fun and adventure? Mary Poppins is one helluva nanny – one that every kid would dreams of having.

The Plot

George Banks, as the name suggests, is a London banker. He is stuck with his two impish children – Jane and Michael – who would do just about anything to make a nanny quit her job.

They want their dad to get them a nanny ‘with a cheery disposition, rosy cheeks, and who play games – all sorts’. In answer to the children’s prayers, Mary Poppins is ‘blown by the east wind’ into the Banks’ household.

She’s eccentric, fun, strict, vain and mysterious- all at once! The kids love her because she takes them out to places they have never been to before, enchants them with melodious songs and magic and has tea-parties with them on the terrace.

Other characters like Bert and Uncle Albert also add a lot of humor with their weird accent and laughter. She even manages to transform George from an uptight banker to a fun-loving man.

Why Your Kids Will Love It

With so much fun, laughter, music and magic, nothing can possibly go wrong! Children of all ages (boys and girls alike) can easily identify with the characters in the story.

Fluent readers and older kids may read it by themselves, but the younger ones may read a ‘reading aloud’. A perfect blend of the real and the fantastical makes this book a truly delightful experience.

Mary Poppins is the nanny that every child would love to have

Why You Will Love It

The language is extremely creative and witty. The names of the characters, the settings, the humor and the situations are a treat to one’s sensibilities and imagination.

This is one of the few books that can be read over and over again – it never fails to exhilarate. It would be a good idea to rent a DVD of the 1964 Walt Disney version for added impact and pleasure.