Mary Poppins She Wrote

The story of Mary Poppins, the quintessentially English and utterly magical children's nanny, is remarkable enough. She flew into the lives of the unsuspecting Banks family in a children's book that was instantly hailed as a classic, then became a household name when Julie Andrews stepped into the starring role in Walt Disney's hugely successful and equally classic film. Now she is a sensation all over again-both on Broadway and in Disney's upcoming film Saving Mr. Banks. Saving Mr. Banksretells many of the stories in Valerie Lawson's biography Mary Poppins, She Wrote, including P. L. Travers's move from London to Hollywood and her struggles with Walt Disney as he adapted her novel for the big screen. Travers, whom Disney accused of vanity for "thinking she knows more about Mary Poppins than I do," was a poet and world-renowned author as tart and opinionated as Andrews's big-screen Mary Poppins was cheery and porcelain-beautiful. Yet it was a love of mysticism and magic that shaped Travers's life as well as the very character of Mary Poppins. The clipped, strict, and ultimately mysterious nanny who emerged from her pen was the creation of someone who remained inscrutable and enigmatic to the end of her ninety-six years. Valerie Lawson's illuminating biography provides the first full look at the life of the woman and writer whose personal journey is as intriguing as her beloved characters.

A collection of charming holiday tales, by the author of Mary Poppins - a timeless gift for all ages. Each of the stories in this book was written by P.L. Travers as a holiday gift, sent to her friends and family and never published. Now millions of readers and generations of film-goers will get a peek behind the curtain and see how she used her life story to inform her fiction. Whether it is Aunt Sass herself - who is partly her inspiration for Mary Poppins - or the crass ex-jockey whose life work is not at all what it appears, the characters are unforgettable. P.L. Travers wrote with a signature blend of sugar and spice; her characters, including Mary Poppins, are endearing, outsized, and cozy. The Aunt Sass Christmas Stories will delight any child - naughty or nice.

Mary Poppins returns to the Banks family in a rocket and involves the Banks children in more magical adventures including those with Peppermint Horses, the Marble Boy, and the Cat that Looked at the King.

Features twenty-six vignettes, one for each letter of the alphabet, starring Mary Poppins and other characters from the Mary Poppins novels.

"Mary Poppins teachers her irrepressible young charges the basics of the kitchen"--Front jacket flap.

The adventures of Mary Poppins, the unusual governess whose remarkable powers transform the lives of the Banks family.

Mary Poppins comes back on the end of a kite string, stays with the Banks family for a while, and then disappears on a merry-go-round horse.

Discover the true story behind the creation of the world's most beloved nanny, now appearing in Disney's Mary Poppins Returns. Mary Poppins flew into the lives of the Banks family and secured her place in the hearts of generations of children. Published in 1934, the book was instantly hailed as a classic. By the time Julie Andrews graced the screen in Disney's 1964 adaptation, Mary Poppins was a household name. The quintessentially English nanny was conceived by an Australian, Pamela Lyndon Travers, whose troubled childhood bore little resemblance to the cheery optimism that is associated with the beloved children's tale. Fiercely independent, Travers left Australia for London in 1924 to work as a journalist and found herself rubbing shoulders with literary elites such as W.B. Yeats and T.S. Elliot. Travers famously clashed with Walt Disney, reluctantly selling him her film rights, and then slamming the resulting movie as 'all fantasy and no magic'. Like her mysterious character, Travers remained inscrutable and enigmatic to the end of her ninety-six years. Valerie Lawson's detailed biography provides the only glimpse into the mind of a writer who fervently believed that 'Everyday life is a miracle'. Valerie Lawson's illuminating biography examines the extraordinary life of the woman behind one of our most treasured characters.