Yes, I know it’s February. This school year has been a little rough, what can I say? I read both of these books during Christmas break and haven’t finished one since 😦
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (new read)
I didn’t really know quite what to expect going into book. We watched Saving Mr. Banks this summer, so I did have some background that the movie painted Mary Poppins in a different light than her original portrayal.
Everyone knows the basic premise of the story: Mary Poppins comes in as the nanny for the Banks children. They go on lively adventures, and along the way, meet all sorts of interesting characters.
The premise is one of the few things that is actually the same in both places. Turns out, Mary Poppins is not actually a very pleasant person. She’s snooty and full of herself most of the time. She has strange acquaintance that are sort of creepy. There’s also three additional kids in the book, including a set of twins! She has supernatural power of some kind that leads her to be called “The Great Exception.”
While different than I expected, it was still enjoyable. I think it transcends age and gender, and provides quite an escape. Such fantasy!
VERDICT: Honestly, the verdict is still out. I think it’s good, but I feel like the movie is more of a classic than the book is. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (new read)
Here’s another fantastical read that was an interesting deviation from the norm.
The only book I’ve ever read by DiCamillo is Because of Winn Dixie, which is a completely different kind of story, realistically speaking.
Edward Tulane is a china rabbit. We first meet him when he is owned by Abilene, a little girl who loves him dearly. However, he is soon lost. The remaining pages follow Edward’s journey and road to redemption.
One of the most intriguing things about this story is that, while Edward doesn’t talk aloud to any other characters, the reader gets to “read his mind,” so to speak. At all times, we are privy to his thoughts and desires, as if he were a real person. I don’t want to give away the ending, but it was very satisfying… and I may have teared up a little. Don’t judge.
VERDICT: I don’t think I’ve ever done this in the same post, but I can’t decide on this one either! It was a very well written book, and the story was original. I just don’t know if years from now it will be considered one of the best ever. I was actually surprised that one of DiCamillo’s other books, The Tale of Despereaux, was not included instead.
Help me out guys! Have you read either of these? What do you think about their inclusion?
yabookchallenge 