Mary Poppins

Horrible! Poppins takes the children on very creepy adventures with wicked adults and then gaslights them by saying the events never happened and how dare they say she would do such things. In the end, there is nothing learned. Poppins leaves, and the parents are just annoyed that they have to find a new nanny again. I hate this book.

I was expecting Julie Andrews. I got somebody much crosser, instead. I know this book is a supposed beloved book of children of all ages, but I just didn't get it. I guess I was just too influenced by that adorable, kind-hearted, sappy Disney movie to really let it go and enjoy this book on its own. Mary Poppins, as a character, seemed to me to be entirely too gruff and unloving. There were not enough instances where she let down her guard and was nice to the children. Yes, the magic was interesting and she was mysterious. But there wasn't enough of that, either, to really make up for Mary Poppins's constantly rude behavior. I don't know. It just didn't strike a chord with me. If I have a little girl someday and read her older stories, I'll probably look to Pippi Longstocking and Anne of Green Gables first.

I don't like this.