Mary Poppins

Most Recently Read Book:

Mary Poppins

By P.L. Travers

After meeting the wonderful, amazing, breath-taking Miss Julie Andrews in the fall, I realized at some point that the movie Mary Poppins was actually based on a book. I don't think I ever knew that. I've had it on my list of books to read since then. I have to say after reading Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland that was basically exactly like the movie(s) I wasn't sure to expect it to be the same or different. The book actually is very different from the movie. I can honestly say I much prefer the movie better. I feel like the movie at least has a message, even if you have to infer the message: that parents need to live in the moment and cherish their kids instead of always working so hard and not enjoying their children (at least that's what I think it's all about). The book was just about this fairly mean nanny who comes, does lots of weird things, like jumping into chalk drawings and floating in the air...but then also weirder things that don't make it into the movie...and then just leaves. When she leaves the only message we are left with is that she'll eventually come back. I guess that means I should read the next book to see if she does come back and maybe there is more of a lesson in that book, but my heart's not in it. I much prefer my Disney spoonful-of-sugar Mary Poppins.