What do you think?
Rate this book
Mary Poppins #4
Mary Poppins in the Park
From the moment Mary Poppins arrives at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane, everyday life at the Banks house is forever changed. This classic series tells the story of the world's most beloved nanny, who brings enchantment and excitement with her everywhere she goes.
Only the incomparable Mary Poppins can lead the Banks children on one marvelous adventure after another. Together they meet the Goose girl and the Swineherd, argue with talking cats on a distant planet, make the acquaintance of the folks who live under dandelions, and celebrate a birthday by dancing with their own shadows. And that's just for starters!
Listening Length: 5 hours and 36 minutes
Only the incomparable Mary Poppins can lead the Banks children on one marvelous adventure after another. Together they meet the Goose girl and the Swineherd, argue with talking cats on a distant planet, make the acquaintance of the folks who live under dandelions, and celebrate a birthday by dancing with their own shadows. And that's just for starters!
Listening Length: 5 hours and 36 minutes
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1952
138 people are currently reading
5559 people want to read
About the author
P.L. Travers
64 books730 followersPamela Lyndon Travers was an Australian novelist, actress and journalist, popularly remembered for her series of children's novels about mystical nanny Mary Poppins.
She was born to bank manager Travers Robert Goff and Margaret Agnes. Her father died when she was seven, and although "epileptic seizure delirium" was given as the cause of death, Travers herself "always believed the underlying cause was sustained, heavy drinking".
Travers began to publish her poems while still a teenager and wrote for The Bulletin and Triad while also gaining a reputation as an actress. She toured Australia and New Zealand with a Shakespearean touring company before leaving for England in 1924. There she dedicated herself to writing under the pen name P. L. Travers.
In 1925 while in Ireland, Travers met the poet George William Russell who, as editor of The Irish Statesman, accepted some of her poems for publication. Through Russell, Travers met William Butler Yeats and other Irish poets who fostered her interest in and knowledge of world mythology. Later, the mystic Gurdjieff would have a great effect on her, as would also have on several other literary figures.
The 1934 publication of Mary Poppins was Travers' first literary success.Five sequels followed, as well as a collection of other novels, poetry collections and works of non-fiction.
The Disney musical adaptation was released in 1964. Primarily based on the first novel in what was then a sequence of four books, it also lifted elements from the sequel Mary Poppins Comes Back. Although Travers was an adviser to the production she disapproved of the dilution of the harsher aspects of Mary Poppins's character, felt ambivalent about the music and disliked the use of animation to such an extent that she ruled out any further adaptations of the later Mary Poppins novels. At the film's star-studded premiere, she reportedly approached Disney and told him that the animated sequence had to go. Disney responded by saying "Pamela, the ship has sailed." and walked away. Travers would never again agree to another Poppins/Disney adaptation, though Disney made several attempts to persuade her to change her mind.
So fervent was Travers' dislike of the Walt Disney adaptation and the way she felt she had been treated during the production, that well into her 90s, when she was approached by producer Cameron Mackintosh to do the stage musical, she only acquiesced upon the condition that only English born writers (and specifically no Americans) and no one from the film production were to be directly involved with the creative process of the stage musical. This specifically excluded the Sherman Brothers from writing additional songs for the production even though they were still very prolific. Original songs and other aspects from the 1964 film were allowed to be incorporated into the production however. These points were stipulated in her last will and testament.
Travers was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1977. She died in London in 1996.
Although Travers never married, she adopted a boy when she was in her late 30s.
She was born to bank manager Travers Robert Goff and Margaret Agnes. Her father died when she was seven, and although "epileptic seizure delirium" was given as the cause of death, Travers herself "always believed the underlying cause was sustained, heavy drinking".
Travers began to publish her poems while still a teenager and wrote for The Bulletin and Triad while also gaining a reputation as an actress. She toured Australia and New Zealand with a Shakespearean touring company before leaving for England in 1924. There she dedicated herself to writing under the pen name P. L. Travers.
In 1925 while in Ireland, Travers met the poet George William Russell who, as editor of The Irish Statesman, accepted some of her poems for publication. Through Russell, Travers met William Butler Yeats and other Irish poets who fostered her interest in and knowledge of world mythology. Later, the mystic Gurdjieff would have a great effect on her, as would also have on several other literary figures.
The 1934 publication of Mary Poppins was Travers' first literary success.Five sequels followed, as well as a collection of other novels, poetry collections and works of non-fiction.
The Disney musical adaptation was released in 1964. Primarily based on the first novel in what was then a sequence of four books, it also lifted elements from the sequel Mary Poppins Comes Back. Although Travers was an adviser to the production she disapproved of the dilution of the harsher aspects of Mary Poppins's character, felt ambivalent about the music and disliked the use of animation to such an extent that she ruled out any further adaptations of the later Mary Poppins novels. At the film's star-studded premiere, she reportedly approached Disney and told him that the animated sequence had to go. Disney responded by saying "Pamela, the ship has sailed." and walked away. Travers would never again agree to another Poppins/Disney adaptation, though Disney made several attempts to persuade her to change her mind.
So fervent was Travers' dislike of the Walt Disney adaptation and the way she felt she had been treated during the production, that well into her 90s, when she was approached by producer Cameron Mackintosh to do the stage musical, she only acquiesced upon the condition that only English born writers (and specifically no Americans) and no one from the film production were to be directly involved with the creative process of the stage musical. This specifically excluded the Sherman Brothers from writing additional songs for the production even though they were still very prolific. Original songs and other aspects from the 1964 film were allowed to be incorporated into the production however. These points were stipulated in her last will and testament.
Travers was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1977. She died in London in 1996.
Although Travers never married, she adopted a boy when she was in her late 30s.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
October 14, 2025
Oct 14 ~~ A quick read, full of more crazily hectic adventures with Mary Poppins and the children in her care. this detoured from the semi-formula of the first three MP titles, since each chapter was an adventure that the reader may assume took place during one or more of the previous books, and therefore we do not see MP arriving or departing the way she did in the other volumes.
As in the other books, though, these adventures are quite fantastic and tiring even to read about. I cannot imagine how Jane and Michael Banks could have kept up with all the whirling and dancing and flying and shrinking down to ant size.
i'm done with my exploration of Mary Poppins, but now I will read a biography of her creator. I hope I can discover how she came up with all these adventures!
Oh, by the way, MP actually allowed herself to smile at the children again in this book. Once. On the very last page.
As in the other books, though, these adventures are quite fantastic and tiring even to read about. I cannot imagine how Jane and Michael Banks could have kept up with all the whirling and dancing and flying and shrinking down to ant size.
i'm done with my exploration of Mary Poppins, but now I will read a biography of her creator. I hope I can discover how she came up with all these adventures!
Oh, by the way, MP actually allowed herself to smile at the children again in this book. Once. On the very last page.
January 16, 2022
I know what you’re thinking...just another children’s book, can’t be worth reading, so why bother about the review? Wonder why she keeps reading and writing these reviews?
That’s the trouble with children’s literature. We look down on it...just like we do children. It’s one of the last acceptable prejudices. Well come on, after all they are just children, really now...they don’t know very much; can’t understand what's important, so what they read isn’t worthwhile either, is it?
When I first started these Mary Poppins books I was reading for nostalgia* and also (I confess) escapism! Our adult children are home from college and Bear and I have discovered how little we actually know. (It’s amazing how long you can live in ignorance of this basic fact.) :(
But the longer I kept reading the more I realized how much I was enjoying these books and (surprise!) I began to see the deeper wisdom hidden in them. P. L. Travers writes about being stuck in selfishness and then being blessed by Someone who takes you out of yourself. Of course she dresses all this up with characters, children, a nursery, a nanny and sets it all in early 20th century Britain, but then who will argue that anything, even something we might need to learn, goes down better in a spoonful of sugar?
Mary Poppins as a character isn’t important. She’s a catalyst. She represents transformation through overcoming skepticism with wonder, joy and love. She comes and goes because we are not supposed to get attached to her, just like we are not supposed to get attached to anyone—or anything. And in fact, she leaves those around her the better for having been visited.
Just a silly children’s story? I wonder. If so, then it’s my wish that my life could become such a silly story...
*Having enjoyed these books so much as a child and again with my own children when they were young. Seeing the movie, Saving Mr. Banks a week or so ago reminded me of all that. It also introduced me to the Dickensian childhood of the author which undoubtedly influenced her stories although without the same pathos as we find in those by the Immortal Boz. Travers chose the lighter touch at the risk of being seen as trivial.
That’s the trouble with children’s literature. We look down on it...just like we do children. It’s one of the last acceptable prejudices. Well come on, after all they are just children, really now...they don’t know very much; can’t understand what's important, so what they read isn’t worthwhile either, is it?
When I first started these Mary Poppins books I was reading for nostalgia* and also (I confess) escapism! Our adult children are home from college and Bear and I have discovered how little we actually know. (It’s amazing how long you can live in ignorance of this basic fact.) :(
But the longer I kept reading the more I realized how much I was enjoying these books and (surprise!) I began to see the deeper wisdom hidden in them. P. L. Travers writes about being stuck in selfishness and then being blessed by Someone who takes you out of yourself. Of course she dresses all this up with characters, children, a nursery, a nanny and sets it all in early 20th century Britain, but then who will argue that anything, even something we might need to learn, goes down better in a spoonful of sugar?
Mary Poppins as a character isn’t important. She’s a catalyst. She represents transformation through overcoming skepticism with wonder, joy and love. She comes and goes because we are not supposed to get attached to her, just like we are not supposed to get attached to anyone—or anything. And in fact, she leaves those around her the better for having been visited.
Just a silly children’s story? I wonder. If so, then it’s my wish that my life could become such a silly story...
*Having enjoyed these books so much as a child and again with my own children when they were young. Seeing the movie, Saving Mr. Banks a week or so ago reminded me of all that. It also introduced me to the Dickensian childhood of the author which undoubtedly influenced her stories although without the same pathos as we find in those by the Immortal Boz. Travers chose the lighter touch at the risk of being seen as trivial.
February 18, 2021
OK, so this is not actually the 4th book. It was published fourth of all the Mary Poppins books but chronologically, the events here play out some time between the second and third book.
Therefore, this offers some more adventures as a sort of addendum to the ones we already know from books 2 and 3.
We follow Mary and the children when they meet people being so unhappy with what they are that they pretend to be something different. We follow them also to a distant planet where they talk to argumentative cats. They visit the folk living under dandelions and celebrate another birthday (always a special occasion) in a very enchanting way.
The writing is solid - practical and down-to-earth, but envoking one of the best fantastical worlds in literature. Yep, I think Mary Poppins' universe is that good. Why? Because it's not just frolicking and dancing with shadows, but learning about what it means to be a good person and not to get sidetracked by what some silly adults tell you.
This was not my favourite volume and considering the ending of the third, it tucked at my heartstrings (like the children, I didn't want Mary Poppins to be gone), but it was also sweet for the very same reason. Good is as good does.
I'm glad I got the box that contained the first four books and understand now how so many people around the world came to know about this one particular nanny - which caused a certain dream factory to make the movies that are (to me) slightly more wonderful even!
Therefore, this offers some more adventures as a sort of addendum to the ones we already know from books 2 and 3.
We follow Mary and the children when they meet people being so unhappy with what they are that they pretend to be something different. We follow them also to a distant planet where they talk to argumentative cats. They visit the folk living under dandelions and celebrate another birthday (always a special occasion) in a very enchanting way.
The writing is solid - practical and down-to-earth, but envoking one of the best fantastical worlds in literature. Yep, I think Mary Poppins' universe is that good. Why? Because it's not just frolicking and dancing with shadows, but learning about what it means to be a good person and not to get sidetracked by what some silly adults tell you.
This was not my favourite volume and considering the ending of the third, it tucked at my heartstrings (like the children, I didn't want Mary Poppins to be gone), but it was also sweet for the very same reason. Good is as good does.
I'm glad I got the box that contained the first four books and understand now how so many people around the world came to know about this one particular nanny - which caused a certain dream factory to make the movies that are (to me) slightly more wonderful even!
July 4, 2016
P.L. Travers warns up front that this volume is not the fourth in the series in the sense of being the further adventures of the magical nanny Mary Poppins. Rather, these are adventures that date mostly from the time of Mary Poppins Comes Back and Mary Poppins Opens the Door. As Travers says, “She [Mary Poppins] cannot forever arrive and depart.”
Some of the characters from the previous books reappear — Fred Smith, the imperious Park Keeper; Admiral Boom, the Bird Woman of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the prissy Miss Lucinda Lark and her dogs, Mrs. Corry and her giant daughters, Egbert the Policeman, the Lord Mayor of London, and Bert the Match Man — but quite a few new ones emerge, too: a trio of charming princes, Mr. Mo and his tiny park and family, some literal shadow people, and the denizens of a cat star. Some of the adventures are delightful — “The Children in the Story,” which will especially resonate with adults — while some are simply enjoyable enough.
While not quite in the same league as the 1934 debut Mary Poppins or 1943’s Mary Poppins Opens the Door, readers — whether children or adults — will be happy to have Mary Poppins in the Park so as to once again visit with the Banks children and most famous nanny of all time. There is definitely life in the old girl yet!
Some of the characters from the previous books reappear — Fred Smith, the imperious Park Keeper; Admiral Boom, the Bird Woman of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the prissy Miss Lucinda Lark and her dogs, Mrs. Corry and her giant daughters, Egbert the Policeman, the Lord Mayor of London, and Bert the Match Man — but quite a few new ones emerge, too: a trio of charming princes, Mr. Mo and his tiny park and family, some literal shadow people, and the denizens of a cat star. Some of the adventures are delightful — “The Children in the Story,” which will especially resonate with adults — while some are simply enjoyable enough.
While not quite in the same league as the 1934 debut Mary Poppins or 1943’s Mary Poppins Opens the Door, readers — whether children or adults — will be happy to have Mary Poppins in the Park so as to once again visit with the Banks children and most famous nanny of all time. There is definitely life in the old girl yet!
May 31, 2018
It's strange to say but this is my favorite Mary Poppins books that I've read. This particular book is full of adventures that the children have that weren't mentioned in the 3 previous books. (I don't think this is a spoiler since it happens in the well-known Disney version.) Sometimes Miss Poppins plays a big part in the stories, but in others she barely appears compared to the other books. The adventures were my favorite parts of the previous 3 books, so that's probably why I enjoyed this book more than the others. It mentions characters from the second and third book, so you might not recognize them, but you get more adventures with the kids and Mary Poppins. To me, this is a 4.75 rating for this book, but I rounded it up to 5 stars since I can't remember why I lowered the rating. It was a minor point so it's forgettable and my enjoyment was still super high.
The formula for book 1 is pretty much the same for book 2 and 3 as Mary Poppins arrives in the beginning and leaves in the end. The formula isn't the exact same as you're introduced to new characters and there are different stories for each book, but if you didn't like the first book then book 2 and 3 will probably not be you cup of tea. If you're still interested in seeing if you'll like books 2 and 3 with the characters, then I would suggest reading book 4.
The formula for book 1 is pretty much the same for book 2 and 3 as Mary Poppins arrives in the beginning and leaves in the end. The formula isn't the exact same as you're introduced to new characters and there are different stories for each book, but if you didn't like the first book then book 2 and 3 will probably not be you cup of tea. If you're still interested in seeing if you'll like books 2 and 3 with the characters, then I would suggest reading book 4.
April 19, 2018
"But, Mary Poppins," Jane persisted. "Supposing you weren't Mary Poppins, who would you choose to be?"
The blue eyes under the tulip hat turned to her in surprise.
There was only one answer to such a question.
"Mary Poppins!" she said.
Seriously, I think at this point I give anything with Mary Poppins in it an automatic five-star rating. How can I not? Mary Poppins is absolutely wonderful, in her own uniquely prim and proper way. Is she vain? Yes. Is she haughty? Most assuredly so. Can she be cross? Most definitely. But it's what makes her such an enduring character, and the child characters in these books (namely, Jane and Michael Banks) absolutely adore her for all of these things, and for all of the magical adventures she takes them on.
I must say, sometimes I'm afraid my American side can't even handle how completely and wonderfully British these stories are. If someone from England was to load up a spaceship full of British literature and send it rocketing off into the stars full of books that preserve and portray British literary history, P.L. Travers novels most decidedly deserve a spot on board. These books are absolutely fantastic and adhere to no set of rules at all - which is how all good children's books should be written, anyways. Mary Poppins in the Park is the fourth of the Mary Poppins novels and the last of the full-length ones (two more books followed but they are much, much shorter and don't even have chapters). It's not even my favorite Travers novel - that spot is reserved for Mary Poppins Comes Back - but every single one of these is just fantastic and I wholeheartedly recommend that if you still have that inner child within, or even if you think you've lost it and want to discover it again, pick up these wonderful stories and read them to your hearts content. Mary Poppins may not say she approves of this notion, and she'd probably tell you to go clean your dresser and polish your shoes and get ready for afternoon tea instead of reading fanciful stories, but if you look closely you'd probably see a hint of a smile forming on her lips, the same faint smile the Banks children have grown to cherish and adore. Time and time again.
The blue eyes under the tulip hat turned to her in surprise.
There was only one answer to such a question.
"Mary Poppins!" she said.
Seriously, I think at this point I give anything with Mary Poppins in it an automatic five-star rating. How can I not? Mary Poppins is absolutely wonderful, in her own uniquely prim and proper way. Is she vain? Yes. Is she haughty? Most assuredly so. Can she be cross? Most definitely. But it's what makes her such an enduring character, and the child characters in these books (namely, Jane and Michael Banks) absolutely adore her for all of these things, and for all of the magical adventures she takes them on.
I must say, sometimes I'm afraid my American side can't even handle how completely and wonderfully British these stories are. If someone from England was to load up a spaceship full of British literature and send it rocketing off into the stars full of books that preserve and portray British literary history, P.L. Travers novels most decidedly deserve a spot on board. These books are absolutely fantastic and adhere to no set of rules at all - which is how all good children's books should be written, anyways. Mary Poppins in the Park is the fourth of the Mary Poppins novels and the last of the full-length ones (two more books followed but they are much, much shorter and don't even have chapters). It's not even my favorite Travers novel - that spot is reserved for Mary Poppins Comes Back - but every single one of these is just fantastic and I wholeheartedly recommend that if you still have that inner child within, or even if you think you've lost it and want to discover it again, pick up these wonderful stories and read them to your hearts content. Mary Poppins may not say she approves of this notion, and she'd probably tell you to go clean your dresser and polish your shoes and get ready for afternoon tea instead of reading fanciful stories, but if you look closely you'd probably see a hint of a smile forming on her lips, the same faint smile the Banks children have grown to cherish and adore. Time and time again.
April 30, 2017
So, it seems that these are the stories that didn't fit in the trilogy. Well, I'm certainly glad they found their way into print under Travers' watch, instead of being found in a drawer and published posthumously... because whenever that happens the stories aren't actually ready for publication. These were marvelous. Perhaps made even more so by the fact that it's the first day of this year that I can sit outside and read... and so I did, and read this book in one afternoon. Lovely.
April 19, 2018
Mary Poppins is back again with Jane and Michael for adventures in the Park! An ordinary outing in the park turns into a magical and extraordinary adventure when you go for a walk with Mary Poppins.
I love how Mary Poppins can be stern with the children, but is also kind and loving. She has a no nonsense attitude, but secretly loves to take the children on nonsensical and silly outings!
The writing is enchanting, and has a beautiful charm in its simplicity! I love all the Mary Poppins books!
I wish that the book had more of a cohesive plot line, but they are individual snippets, more like separate short stories, without any real connection between chapters.
I also got bored sometimes with the long descriptions, and interminable supporting characters who show up in a scene with no real purpose.
But overall, I enjoyed this book very much! The old-fashioned charm is palpable, and Mary Poppins can do no wrong.
I love how Mary Poppins can be stern with the children, but is also kind and loving. She has a no nonsense attitude, but secretly loves to take the children on nonsensical and silly outings!
The writing is enchanting, and has a beautiful charm in its simplicity! I love all the Mary Poppins books!
I wish that the book had more of a cohesive plot line, but they are individual snippets, more like separate short stories, without any real connection between chapters.
I also got bored sometimes with the long descriptions, and interminable supporting characters who show up in a scene with no real purpose.
But overall, I enjoyed this book very much! The old-fashioned charm is palpable, and Mary Poppins can do no wrong.
January 12, 2022
Apart from the last story which was maybe a bridge too far in terms of repetitiveness, i overall really enjoyed that.
Maybe it was because i paced these 6 tales out, only reading one every 3 or 4 days. Also, knowing that these are extraneous stories i think helped rather than hindered.
You might have thought that this being just extra stuff would reduce the enjoyment but most Poppins stories feel episodic anyway, but they’re stuck inside a novel, at least here your braced for random episodes rather than expecting an extended story-arc.
The downside to these is the repetitiveness mentioned above. Not only the general repetitiveness of the stories when compared to other Poppins tales but also an internal repetitiveness. Several of these have long sections of multiple characters showing up and doing the same actions.
Still for whatever reasons 5 of these 6 really hit the spot, in particular, Lucky Thursday is nicely disturbed :P and the Children in the Story has some Matrix, what's real? elements, that i thought was pretty interesting.
Maybe it was because i paced these 6 tales out, only reading one every 3 or 4 days. Also, knowing that these are extraneous stories i think helped rather than hindered.
You might have thought that this being just extra stuff would reduce the enjoyment but most Poppins stories feel episodic anyway, but they’re stuck inside a novel, at least here your braced for random episodes rather than expecting an extended story-arc.
The downside to these is the repetitiveness mentioned above. Not only the general repetitiveness of the stories when compared to other Poppins tales but also an internal repetitiveness. Several of these have long sections of multiple characters showing up and doing the same actions.
Still for whatever reasons 5 of these 6 really hit the spot, in particular, Lucky Thursday is nicely disturbed :P and the Children in the Story has some Matrix, what's real? elements, that i thought was pretty interesting.
March 6, 2020
What I thought would be another visit by Mary Poppins was, in fact, a bunch of short stories from other times--but after the youngest baby was born. As the name suggests, all of the adventures and magic take place in the park. I liked some of the stories better than others, but missed having an overall arc to it. That said, it was enjoyable. I would say my favourite one was when Jane made her own tiny play park for poor people and then...
You didn't think I was going to tell you what happened, did you? Doesn't Mary Poppins always insist on not talking about such things?
You didn't think I was going to tell you what happened, did you? Doesn't Mary Poppins always insist on not talking about such things?
March 31, 2024
Reading these books is like living in a happy dream.
It's also sort of funny, because I remember being a little bored with them the first time around. Perhaps it's that I know what to expect now? That I'm more in love with PLT because I noticed she inscribed "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" at the end of each book? Maybe it's because I'm older and more tired and therefore find the slow pace and magic of these stories utterly soothing and inspiring.
Whatever it is, I'm grateful for Mary Poppins.
**Also, I'm putting this in the autumn category because the final chapter is about Hallowe'en, but there are summer chapters too.
It's also sort of funny, because I remember being a little bored with them the first time around. Perhaps it's that I know what to expect now? That I'm more in love with PLT because I noticed she inscribed "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" at the end of each book? Maybe it's because I'm older and more tired and therefore find the slow pace and magic of these stories utterly soothing and inspiring.
Whatever it is, I'm grateful for Mary Poppins.
**Also, I'm putting this in the autumn category because the final chapter is about Hallowe'en, but there are summer chapters too.
December 15, 2025
I really enjoyed these books
October 13, 2020
I've read and re-read all Mary Poppins-books regularly since I first laid hands on them by the age of 10. I'm turning 44 now, and they're an integrated part of my "book life" - and probably will continue to be for as long as I live :)
January 18, 2020
This is an entertaining collection of stories about the adventures the Banks children have with Mary Poppins when they visit the park. It opens with an absolutely perfect pen-and-ink sketch of the park full of whimsical detail from not just the stories, but the first three books. You even see Miss Lark's Willoughby and Andrew, Robertson Ay asleep, and the Admiral on his roof with his telescope. That map pushed my rating to 3.5 stars.
Delightful as they are, especially the last one set on Halloween, some felt a little long, dragging what was a charming fairytale down a bit. What was particularly sweet was how Mary Poppins herself is at times softer here. She is still stern, egotistical, and narcissistic, but there are many more softenings, hints of a smile or twinkle, and even real warmth.
But I think this quote from Michael sums up what is so appealing about Travers' stories:
I like you best when you’re angry. It makes me feel much safer.
Delightful as they are, especially the last one set on Halloween, some felt a little long, dragging what was a charming fairytale down a bit. What was particularly sweet was how Mary Poppins herself is at times softer here. She is still stern, egotistical, and narcissistic, but there are many more softenings, hints of a smile or twinkle, and even real warmth.
But I think this quote from Michael sums up what is so appealing about Travers' stories:
I like you best when you’re angry. It makes me feel much safer.
May 26, 2019
5*
I've read the entire Mary Poppins series in one month. I didn't review it immediately after finishing it, I let it sit for a bit and I'm glad for it. I decided to rate all of them 5*, unfortunately I don't have enough thoughts to write an individual review for every single book. Mary Poppins books are definitely really different to what I was expecting them to be like but I actually love Mary Poppins as a character. Her no nonsense attitude, how snarky and full of herself she is. I loved how she was constantly making everyone around her to look like idiots. I'm not entirely sure I would read these books to my kids but I had a lot of fun reading them myself.
I've read the entire Mary Poppins series in one month. I didn't review it immediately after finishing it, I let it sit for a bit and I'm glad for it. I decided to rate all of them 5*, unfortunately I don't have enough thoughts to write an individual review for every single book. Mary Poppins books are definitely really different to what I was expecting them to be like but I actually love Mary Poppins as a character. Her no nonsense attitude, how snarky and full of herself she is. I loved how she was constantly making everyone around her to look like idiots. I'm not entirely sure I would read these books to my kids but I had a lot of fun reading them myself.
February 23, 2014
This book was kind of different from the others, at first I was confused because the beggining didn't match the ending of the third book, but then I realized that they where all completely separate stories that where meant to take place sometime between the past three books. I felt that many of them where more fables than anything else, with their own little moral at the end. But not all of them. My favorite was the one about the shadows in the park and Mary poppin's birthday.
January 2, 2022
One of my favorite Mary Poppins books to date 🎉
March 24, 2022
Another fantastical adventure with the nanny that has magical abilities that every child would love, despite her making you feel as if it were all a dream!
Read
June 26, 2025My new hobby? Taking scenes from books such as Mary Poppins out of context:
"'Friends - not strangers!' a voice replied, as a shadow decked in scarves and beads fluttered out of the crowd. 'I'm gayer than you think, Lucinda. And so are you, if you but knew it. Why are you always fussing and fretting instead of enjoying yourself? If you stood on your head occasionally, I'd never run away!'
'Well...' Miss Lark said doubtfully. It seemed such a strange idea.
'Come home and let's try it together!'"
"'Friends - not strangers!' a voice replied, as a shadow decked in scarves and beads fluttered out of the crowd. 'I'm gayer than you think, Lucinda. And so are you, if you but knew it. Why are you always fussing and fretting instead of enjoying yourself? If you stood on your head occasionally, I'd never run away!'
'Well...' Miss Lark said doubtfully. It seemed such a strange idea.
'Come home and let's try it together!'"
August 22, 2015
I'm going to do just one review for the entire Mary Poppins series, and copy it to all of the these as I listened to them, one right-after-another, and they are rather blurred together as one lovely, entertaining, and altogether delightful story.
I'm not sure why I'd not read these before now! You'd think, working in a library- and having read aloud to my daughter every night for years, that somehow I would have hit upon the Mary Poppins books to read-and I truly, truly wish I had!! Because we would have enjoyed the heck out of them! Despite having been written years ago, the language is not antiquated, they are quite funny and they don't feel as dated as I would have thought they would! It is obvious they are set in a world that is a bit outside the world we are living in (the children have a nanny, their parents don't interact with them in the way that children's parent's today do, they have a maid, etc...) but still, as a story set in a fantasy world of sorts, (the things Mary can do are obviously quite fantastic...) it holds up quite well and is good fun and is definitely would make any child long for Mary as their babysitter/nanny.
If you haven't read the books, and have only seen the film, do read them. The books and the film are really not the same. While reading the books there are definitely moments that I recognized that Mr. Disney took from the books for the film... but I can see why Ms. Travers was so irate as her Mary Poppins was very different than the film version... but still, perfect in every way. :)
Definitely recommended for any age.
I'm not sure why I'd not read these before now! You'd think, working in a library- and having read aloud to my daughter every night for years, that somehow I would have hit upon the Mary Poppins books to read-and I truly, truly wish I had!! Because we would have enjoyed the heck out of them! Despite having been written years ago, the language is not antiquated, they are quite funny and they don't feel as dated as I would have thought they would! It is obvious they are set in a world that is a bit outside the world we are living in (the children have a nanny, their parents don't interact with them in the way that children's parent's today do, they have a maid, etc...) but still, as a story set in a fantasy world of sorts, (the things Mary can do are obviously quite fantastic...) it holds up quite well and is good fun and is definitely would make any child long for Mary as their babysitter/nanny.
If you haven't read the books, and have only seen the film, do read them. The books and the film are really not the same. While reading the books there are definitely moments that I recognized that Mr. Disney took from the books for the film... but I can see why Ms. Travers was so irate as her Mary Poppins was very different than the film version... but still, perfect in every way. :)
Definitely recommended for any age.
December 22, 2012
This book in the series is even less of a timeline, less of a glimpse at the Banks family, and more of a six short story collection of unique adventures in the park with Mary Poppins. These could have been inserted anywhere in the previous three books.
Mary Poppins, so tart and snooty, so full of her own perfection, and so likeable at the same time. I really enjoyed this one, the imaginative elements are so rich and childlike.
Jane creates a small park of homes and people made of grass, twigs, and leaves - then of course they are suddenly within it. There they meet Mr. Mo with his three sons Eeny, Meenie, and Mynie -- plus the indian that they caught by the toe.
On Halloween night, the eve of Mary Poppins' birthday, shadows escape for a party in the park. Shadows of their acquaintance, but also the three bears and Bo Peep and her sheep.
The fairy tale book falls open and worlds collide. Are the princes the children in the story, or is it Jane and Michael? The other way around?
Once you are mid-chapter, you just never know where it will take you next. And all of them end with Mary Poppins conceitedly assuming no involvement in such antics. Jane and Michael always have each other, as well as another small clue, to assure that such magic really did take place.
I know my kids would probably enjoy these, but I read them to myself. The chapters do get a little long -- at least 30 pages each.
Mary Poppins, so tart and snooty, so full of her own perfection, and so likeable at the same time. I really enjoyed this one, the imaginative elements are so rich and childlike.
Jane creates a small park of homes and people made of grass, twigs, and leaves - then of course they are suddenly within it. There they meet Mr. Mo with his three sons Eeny, Meenie, and Mynie -- plus the indian that they caught by the toe.
On Halloween night, the eve of Mary Poppins' birthday, shadows escape for a party in the park. Shadows of their acquaintance, but also the three bears and Bo Peep and her sheep.
The fairy tale book falls open and worlds collide. Are the princes the children in the story, or is it Jane and Michael? The other way around?
Once you are mid-chapter, you just never know where it will take you next. And all of them end with Mary Poppins conceitedly assuming no involvement in such antics. Jane and Michael always have each other, as well as another small clue, to assure that such magic really did take place.
I know my kids would probably enjoy these, but I read them to myself. The chapters do get a little long -- at least 30 pages each.
February 16, 2018
I borrowed Mary Poppins in the Park from my University's library, as I found out recently that they have quite an extensive collection of children's literature. This is the fourth book in the series, and as I very much enjoyed reading the first three, I was looking forward to picking it up. The short stories collected here seem more juvenile and less structured than the rest of Travers' writing which I have encountered to date. There are many talking animals and characters from books coming to life here, which I would have enjoyed as a child, but found rather cringeworthy to read as an adult. Mary Poppins in the Park is sadly rather lacking, and a bit silly on the whole. I did enjoy the final story, 'Hallowe'en', however.
April 11, 2017
To be fair that was the least boring book in the series so I didn't hate it that much ..I liked that there wasn't a sudden arrival and departure in this, the events of this book set place in between the second and the third book so that was refreshing, it did have some magical adventures and Mary Poppins was nice-ish through out the book .. my favorite story was the last one about Halloween, I think the rest of the books will be extremely short so I will finish them fast and be done with it
October 31, 2012
Such a good classic book!
October 30, 2015
Didn't like this one either..
July 1, 2021
I think this was my favorite Mary Poppins book yet. Lots of fun stories.
October 14, 2024
Mary Poppins in the Park: Thoughts
The author, P.L. Travers, offers up more adventures and wordplay in Mary Poppins #4.
It is not that the author, P.L. Travers, is running out of ideas with this fourth installment. It is just that we, the readers, are more used to this extraordinary world of Mary Poppins. That however does not take away from the enchanting nature of this book.
I say the book as this is really a collection of six short stories that the author informs us occurred before Mary Poppins last departure. As I started reading this collection, I wondered about the nature of Mary Poppins. So much so, that I recently undertook a twitter poll of Mary Poppins nature. Here are the results:
• What was #MaryPoppins:
• · Just a nanny 30.1%
• · Sorcerous 30.1%
• · Fairy 21.7%
• · Other - please comment 18.1%
The other was mostly comments about her being a witch, a wizard, a time lord, or a time traveller. Don’t recall anyone saying an angel, nor a demon for that matter. There were only 83 votes, in all.
https://x.com/LinosVersion/status/183...
Here is what we know.
Children and animals liked her. They even obeyed her, so she must have been something good. Right?
That Mary Poppins was wise. She understood and shared by example that true dangers are often hidden or in disguise. Including her own?
That Mary Poppins and her friends and charges can live in more than one realm or dimension at the same time. This allows us to wonder what is real and even, what is reality?
That Mary Poppins likes to explore the world of word play and ancient and not so ancient rhymes and legends. In fact, she is often recognized and welcome in these worlds.
How can we not delight when Mary Poppins introduces us to Mr. Mo, whose children are – you guessed it - Eenie, Meenie, Mynie – Mo.
That Halloween and other holidays – especially those that fall on a full moon – allow for strange things going on. And Mary Poppins seems to be in the middle of them. So, sit back and read all six of these short stories:
· EVERY GOOSE A SWAN
· THE FAITHFUL FRIENDS
· LUCKY THURSDAY
· THE CHILDREN IN THE STORY
· THE PARK IN THE PARK
· HALLOWE’EN
And then perhaps, you can tell me who or what Mary Poppins is. Or is it nothing? For as the author explains, “that nothing is a useful word. It can mean exactly what you like – anything – everything….”
Enjoy.
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2024...
#Books #BookReview #MaryPoppins #Nature #Montreal #BusinessEnglish #LinoMatteo
The author, P.L. Travers, offers up more adventures and wordplay in Mary Poppins #4.
It is not that the author, P.L. Travers, is running out of ideas with this fourth installment. It is just that we, the readers, are more used to this extraordinary world of Mary Poppins. That however does not take away from the enchanting nature of this book.
I say the book as this is really a collection of six short stories that the author informs us occurred before Mary Poppins last departure. As I started reading this collection, I wondered about the nature of Mary Poppins. So much so, that I recently undertook a twitter poll of Mary Poppins nature. Here are the results:
• What was #MaryPoppins:
• · Just a nanny 30.1%
• · Sorcerous 30.1%
• · Fairy 21.7%
• · Other - please comment 18.1%
The other was mostly comments about her being a witch, a wizard, a time lord, or a time traveller. Don’t recall anyone saying an angel, nor a demon for that matter. There were only 83 votes, in all.
https://x.com/LinosVersion/status/183...
Here is what we know.
Children and animals liked her. They even obeyed her, so she must have been something good. Right?
That Mary Poppins was wise. She understood and shared by example that true dangers are often hidden or in disguise. Including her own?
That Mary Poppins and her friends and charges can live in more than one realm or dimension at the same time. This allows us to wonder what is real and even, what is reality?
That Mary Poppins likes to explore the world of word play and ancient and not so ancient rhymes and legends. In fact, she is often recognized and welcome in these worlds.
How can we not delight when Mary Poppins introduces us to Mr. Mo, whose children are – you guessed it - Eenie, Meenie, Mynie – Mo.
That Halloween and other holidays – especially those that fall on a full moon – allow for strange things going on. And Mary Poppins seems to be in the middle of them. So, sit back and read all six of these short stories:
· EVERY GOOSE A SWAN
· THE FAITHFUL FRIENDS
· LUCKY THURSDAY
· THE CHILDREN IN THE STORY
· THE PARK IN THE PARK
· HALLOWE’EN
And then perhaps, you can tell me who or what Mary Poppins is. Or is it nothing? For as the author explains, “that nothing is a useful word. It can mean exactly what you like – anything – everything….”
Enjoy.
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2024...
#Books #BookReview #MaryPoppins #Nature #Montreal #BusinessEnglish #LinoMatteo
April 19, 2020
In Mary Poppins, She Wrote, Valerie Lawson says that this Mary Poppins book, published eight years after the previous book, "was the most mystical [of the Poppins series], made up of discrete chapters or incidents which could have happened at any time" that Mary Poppins visited the Banks family (152). By this time, "Pamela...had absorbed all the theories of the pundits on what Mary Poppins actually meant. She began to mix Gurdjieffian ideas into Poppins's adventures and personality; the nanny was more than ever a guru, or seer, and seeker of spiritual truths" and the book "carried certain ideas she loved. Among them is the nature of identity, our real selves, and other selves... shadows, doppelgangers, and duality" (236-237). Alright, then. I can't wait to see if I can find these themes on my own!
---
Well, I found some! I'd forgotten what I was supposed to be looking for, other than "mystical," but I did notice some chapters where, yes, the nature of identity and our real selves vs. other selves is explored, and one was actually one of my favorite stories in the book. (I also enjoyed "The Faithful Friends," but I didn't see any spiritualness in that one. It's just a great story. And "The Park in the Park" was also very cute.)
Overall, the book was okay. Most of the six stand-alone stories were either hit or miss for me: I really didn't like the first one, and thought "Oh no, is the whole book going to be like this?" but then the second story was cute, the third story I could do without, the fourth was good, the fifth was cute, and the sixth was okay (kind of felt like the sixth story was Travers phoning it in, and just reworking previous stories from the Poppins books.)
-------------------
4/19/20 - As I'm completing the entire series, since I gave so many of the books 3 stars, but have very different feelings about them, I'm going back and sort of re-rating/ranking them.
This is remaining at 3 stars -- sort of middle of the road -- but it feels more like a high 2. The stories that were blah or meh for me would knock this down to 2, but the "Overall, the book was okay" feeling brought it up close enough to be 3 stars.
---
Well, I found some! I'd forgotten what I was supposed to be looking for, other than "mystical," but I did notice some chapters where, yes, the nature of identity and our real selves vs. other selves is explored, and one was actually one of my favorite stories in the book. (I also enjoyed "The Faithful Friends," but I didn't see any spiritualness in that one. It's just a great story. And "The Park in the Park" was also very cute.)
Overall, the book was okay. Most of the six stand-alone stories were either hit or miss for me: I really didn't like the first one, and thought "Oh no, is the whole book going to be like this?" but then the second story was cute, the third story I could do without, the fourth was good, the fifth was cute, and the sixth was okay (kind of felt like the sixth story was Travers phoning it in, and just reworking previous stories from the Poppins books.)
-------------------
4/19/20 - As I'm completing the entire series, since I gave so many of the books 3 stars, but have very different feelings about them, I'm going back and sort of re-rating/ranking them.
This is remaining at 3 stars -- sort of middle of the road -- but it feels more like a high 2. The stories that were blah or meh for me would knock this down to 2, but the "Overall, the book was okay" feeling brought it up close enough to be 3 stars.
March 24, 2021
I believe this book was sort of like the "b-sides" as in it was stories that were written for the first two books but not used. It's not bad. Another continuation of adventures with a guest appearance from people like the Turvy's.
August 14, 2018
Read for the PopSugar Reading Challenge
Mary Poppins is a total bitch in the books! No wonder P.L. Travers hated Walt's version on the big screen...
Mary Poppins is a total bitch in the books! No wonder P.L. Travers hated Walt's version on the big screen...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews