During the adventures beings and animals from many worlds treat her with real reverence, and she has no hesitation in taking it all as her due. The word used most often to describe her in the book is conceited, and she spends a good deal of time admiring her reflection in shop windows and ponds. But the biggest difference is in the character of Mary herself. Two neighbourhood dogs play droll supporting roles in some chapters, and while the chimney sweep does appear from time to time, it is the fretful, lonely Park Keeper we meet most often. As the first story in this book begins, Jane and Michael have twin siblings, who enjoy a couple of gentle adventures of their own, and eventually a fifth child joins the nursery. Some people who come to these stories having seen the film will be shocked: the Disney version presents a delightful but very sugary version of the Banks household and its marvellous nanny.

But to be honest, what most people actually know is the 1960s Disney film: the original nanny who blew into the life of the Banks children is a much darker, more mysterious being altogether. Almost everyone in the country, young and old, can tell you the story and describe all the main characters, and the Poppins name, along with the carpet bag and the parrot-headed umbrella, has become a cultural reference. It is coming up for eighty years since Mary Poppins was first published in Great Britain, but it is still one of those children's books you will find in every library and bookshop. Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books Summary: A collection of all the original Mary Poppins stories in a huge brick of a book.

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