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Mary Poppins #6
Mary Poppins and the House Next Door
Mary Poppins, the unflappable nanny of the Banks children, is back again! This time she returns to save the house next door to the Bankses'. The house has always been empty, and so has become the treasure of Cherry Tree Lane--each neighbor has filled it with personal dreams.
Then a new, but not unknown, tenant arrives, and peace in the lane is gravely threatened. Can Mary Poppins, in her own magical, whimsical way, resolve the crisis?
Then a new, but not unknown, tenant arrives, and peace in the lane is gravely threatened. Can Mary Poppins, in her own magical, whimsical way, resolve the crisis?
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
About the author
P.L. Travers
59 books703 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.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 85 reviews
March 18, 2018
I didn't expect to like this book, from what I have read the books in this series #4, #5, and #6 are extra stories that happen at some place between #1 and the end of 3# that the author decided not to use, well I am thankful someone decided to publish this, it is short but lovely. This is a single episode, in which the inhabitants of Cherry Tree lane discover that an uninhabited house next door to the Banks home has a new tenant. The worst case scenario happens and Mr Banks childhood Nanny (The Holy Terror) moves in. Not only is this bad news for Mr Banks but The Holy Terror has brought a young boy called Luti from the South Seas to 'teach' but mainly be her slave. Luti gains everyone's respect and we really felt for him and what he was taken from throughout the book.
There is a very magical encounter with the man in the moon and as always Mary Poppins in her reserved way is loving and does what is right.
It is a coincidence that the horrible Nanny in this series is called Miss Andrews, in fact I did misread this at one point as Julie Andrews, although this does seem likely as P.L. Travers disliked the Disney version so much she refused any more films be made, I think Miss Andrews appearance in book 2 predates the film, will have to look that one up.
This short book is certainly worth reading, although we are saving #3, with Mary Poppins final departure until last.
There is a very magical encounter with the man in the moon and as always Mary Poppins in her reserved way is loving and does what is right.
It is a coincidence that the horrible Nanny in this series is called Miss Andrews, in fact I did misread this at one point as Julie Andrews, although this does seem likely as P.L. Travers disliked the Disney version so much she refused any more films be made, I think Miss Andrews appearance in book 2 predates the film, will have to look that one up.
This short book is certainly worth reading, although we are saving #3, with Mary Poppins final departure until last.
January 31, 2020
A new neighbor has moved into the house next door on Cherry Tree Lane, and the Banks family are horrified. Only Mary Poppins has the magical wisdom to deal with the drama that threatens to engulf the whole street.
I love the whimsical writing and the funny magic! Mary Poppins is perfect as always, and the Banks children are silly and adorable. The plot has some interesting turns, and I love how all the neighbors on Cherry Tree Lane have their own little additions to the story.
Mary Poppins is just the right mixture of sweet and strict. She plays games with the children, but also lays down the law in the nursery. I love how she reacts to each twist in the plot with grace and elegance.
I love the whimsical writing and the funny magic! Mary Poppins is perfect as always, and the Banks children are silly and adorable. The plot has some interesting turns, and I love how all the neighbors on Cherry Tree Lane have their own little additions to the story.
Mary Poppins is just the right mixture of sweet and strict. She plays games with the children, but also lays down the law in the nursery. I love how she reacts to each twist in the plot with grace and elegance.
March 1, 2014
Okay, so here's the story on this one, the last Mary Poppins book, written by P.L. Travers in 1988, when the author was in her 90's, and more than 50 years after the her first Mary Poppins book. For some reason, the San Francisco Public Library had never purchased a copy of this. After checking to see if they wanted it (they do), I decided to purchase one. Hardbound copies were way out of my price range, but I did manage to find a semi-affordable paperback version in England, through Alibris.
The book arrived last Saturday, and I've doled it out in 15-20 page increments to make it last. No, it's not the best Mary Poppins story ever, but it some charming and delightful elements (including one of the main characters, the empty house next door to the Banks family. My favorite line, I suppose, is Mary Poppins' who says "I'm at home wherever I am". Dropping it off at the San Francisco Library this afternoon.
The book arrived last Saturday, and I've doled it out in 15-20 page increments to make it last. No, it's not the best Mary Poppins story ever, but it some charming and delightful elements (including one of the main characters, the empty house next door to the Banks family. My favorite line, I suppose, is Mary Poppins' who says "I'm at home wherever I am". Dropping it off at the San Francisco Library this afternoon.
September 5, 2021
This was absolutely delightful!! So fanciful and fun!! I loved it.
April 19, 2020
I find it interesting that these last two Mary Poppins books (this, and the previous Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane) hardly focus on Mary at all. Sure, she's there, but the stories are more about other people. Plus, each book is really one story, rather than a collection of stories, like the first four books were.
This one focuses on Luti, a servant boy who comes to live next door with Mr. Banks' old governess, Miss Andrew, and trying to get him back home to the South Seas.
2 stars. I enjoyed the first half, but didn't like the second half so much.
This one focuses on Luti, a servant boy who comes to live next door with Mr. Banks' old governess, Miss Andrew, and trying to get him back home to the South Seas.
2 stars. I enjoyed the first half, but didn't like the second half so much.
January 4, 2014
Mary Poppins and the House Next Door can be read at almost any point in the sequence of the series. After the third book, Mary Poppins Opens the Door, the subsequent books detail adventures involving Mary and the children which presumably occur sometime after her initial arrival and before her final departure at the end of the third book.
This particular book could be classified as more of a novelette or a long short story involving Mr. Banks's inimical governess Miss Andrews who takes up residence in the House Next Door much to the chagrin of everyone. Do I even need to say Mary comes to the rescue?
This particular book could be classified as more of a novelette or a long short story involving Mr. Banks's inimical governess Miss Andrews who takes up residence in the House Next Door much to the chagrin of everyone. Do I even need to say Mary comes to the rescue?
April 18, 2020
Miss Andrew is moving into 17 Cherry Tree Lane and spoiling all her neighbours dreams of the imaginary people who could live There, so Mary Poppins spoils Miss Andrews plans... again.
Really not of the standard of the rest.
Really not of the standard of the rest.
April 17, 2017
2.5 stars
that was another short story and Mary Poppins continues to amaze me how nice she is in the last couple of books unlike her demonic personality that appeared in the first three books, so we have Miss Andrews ( Mr.Banks old nanny ) returns to live in Number Eighteen Cherry Tree Lane and everyone is outraged by this since they are used to have this house empty and fill it with people from their dreams .. I liked the pacing of the story and Luti was a cute character .. two more short books and I will be done :)
that was another short story and Mary Poppins continues to amaze me how nice she is in the last couple of books unlike her demonic personality that appeared in the first three books, so we have Miss Andrews ( Mr.Banks old nanny ) returns to live in Number Eighteen Cherry Tree Lane and everyone is outraged by this since they are used to have this house empty and fill it with people from their dreams .. I liked the pacing of the story and Luti was a cute character .. two more short books and I will be done :)
January 24, 2023
This is the best book in the series!
May 14, 2022
I think this is the last book, wish had more of an ending I think…I do love Mary
May 30, 2016
Not really a full book, more like one of the full stories within the original short novels, it's still a neat little story of standard Mary Poppins fare. Not quite one of the elaborate adventures, but the man in the moon and all the lost things and the little boy returning home were all sweet and fantastical. And of course, the "villainess" gets her comeuppance in the end.
March 15, 2010
Much as I like Mary Poppins and some of the fantastic elements in the books, they tended to be pretty formulaic.
Kind of waters down the emotional impact of her leaving if she keeps coming back to the same place and family.
Kind of waters down the emotional impact of her leaving if she keeps coming back to the same place and family.
February 25, 2017
One of the cutest little stories revolving around my favourite nanny Mary Poppins. Unlikeable Miss Andrews moves in next door with Luti, a small boy from the south seas. Mary Poppins saves the day alongside our friend The Man in the Moon.
December 24, 2018
Mr Banks' old nanny moves in next door with what suspiciously seems like a slave of some race other than white...
I don't understand how this was written as late as 1988 due to the content of this story!
I don't understand how this was written as late as 1988 due to the content of this story!
December 31, 2018
Je ne suis décidément pas fan de littérature jeunesse. Je reconnais les qualités de ces nouvelles, mais ce n'était pas un coup de coeur. Et j'ai relevé pas mal d'erreurs typographiques (sauts de lignes et tirets cadratins manquants, notamment), peut-être pour respecter la mise en page originale ?
May 15, 2013
Reviewed by Elaina Montalvo (6 years old): mary poppins was great. I loved it so much. my favorite part was the friend luti because he was friends with mary poppins and the kids
April 25, 2021
Originally I thought this might be a story involving Mrs. Lark who lives in Number Sixteen Cherry Tree Lane (next door to Number Seventeen, where the Banks children live), but it's about Number Eighteen on the other side of the Banks' home. Up until now (though it hasn't been pointed out) Number Eighteen has sat vacant, but now Mr. Banks' horrible old governess is coming to live there and nobody in the neighborhood seems to be happy about it.
I really appreciated how this story wrapped up and what Mary Poppins' "solution" was to the fate of Luti.
There was also a scene when Mary and the children are walking UP the clouds. Even though they're not stairs (she's pushing the perambulator, after all) it reminded me of the scene in the first Mary Poppins film when the group marches up a chimney smokestack that has been turned into stairs. Considering the film debuted in 1964 and this particular Mary Poppins story wasn't published until 1988, part of me can't help wondering if P.L. Travers took a bit of inspiration from the Disney film.
I really appreciated how this story wrapped up and what Mary Poppins' "solution" was to the fate of Luti.
There was also a scene when Mary and the children are walking UP the clouds. Even though they're not stairs (she's pushing the perambulator, after all) it reminded me of the scene in the first Mary Poppins film when the group marches up a chimney smokestack that has been turned into stairs. Considering the film debuted in 1964 and this particular Mary Poppins story wasn't published until 1988, part of me can't help wondering if P.L. Travers took a bit of inspiration from the Disney film.
June 1, 2023
Cum poți sărbători cel mai bine Ziua Copilului dacă nu citind o carte pentru copii :)
Eu am ales pentru astăzi, Mary Poppins și casa de alături de P.L. Travers. Știu, este ultima din serie, dar pe asta am avut-o la dispoziție. Cred că o să le iau și pe celelalte la citit :) Pentru că asta mi-a plăcut destul de mult (dat fiind că în ultima vreme sunt mai mult ursuz :P ).
Despre ce a fost? Cam greu de spus, pentru că s-au întâmplat multe lucruri în cele 116 pagini câte are ediția de buzunar de la RAO, cea din 1995 (ia te uită, cartea asta datează de pe vremea cânt eu eram în clasa I :) ) Dar cu câteva ide tot am rămas din carte:
1) Fiecare om are nevoie de o casă a lui, mai bine spus de o acasă a lui;
2) Când ți se face dor de acasă, e musai să mergi într-acolo;
3) Nimeni nu poate rămâne impasibil la magie.
Și.... bonus, am învățat și un salut nou, salutul lui Luti: „Pace vouă și fiți binecuvântați!”
Eu am ales pentru astăzi, Mary Poppins și casa de alături de P.L. Travers. Știu, este ultima din serie, dar pe asta am avut-o la dispoziție. Cred că o să le iau și pe celelalte la citit :) Pentru că asta mi-a plăcut destul de mult (dat fiind că în ultima vreme sunt mai mult ursuz :P ).
Despre ce a fost? Cam greu de spus, pentru că s-au întâmplat multe lucruri în cele 116 pagini câte are ediția de buzunar de la RAO, cea din 1995 (ia te uită, cartea asta datează de pe vremea cânt eu eram în clasa I :) ) Dar cu câteva ide tot am rămas din carte:
1) Fiecare om are nevoie de o casă a lui, mai bine spus de o acasă a lui;
2) Când ți se face dor de acasă, e musai să mergi într-acolo;
3) Nimeni nu poate rămâne impasibil la magie.
Și.... bonus, am învățat și un salut nou, salutul lui Luti: „Pace vouă și fiți binecuvântați!”
May 15, 2024
More fairly typical Mary Poppins, but being about just one solitary episode in the life of Cherry Tree Lane it feels more like a chapter of a book rather than a bookful in its own right. One assumes that Travers' inspiration must have pretty much dried up if this was the best that she could come up with in the six years after the previous Mary Poppins book (which was itself likewise a short one). Did she feel compelled to write these later books because she felt inspired to do so, or just as money spinners to cash in on Mary Poppins' popularity, or to try to revive interest in her earlier books for a new generation if sales had begun to flag? But it's fine. It's nice to have it to add to the series. But I found it interesting that she had Mary Poppins and the children climbing up a cloud as though climbing stairs – which obviously felt very much like a scenario stolen straight from Disney!
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February 2, 2021(это не настоящая рецензия, это вообще не рецензия)
В детстве казалось, что книжка ужасно длинная, а сегодня на то чтобы её прочитать, ушел час.
В детстве у меня было издание 93-го года в переводе Александры Борисенко, а сейчас, на четверть века позже, я сама учусь у Александры Борисенко, той самой, художественному переводу.
В детстве я взяла эту книжку с собой в больницу, когда лежала с сотрясением, и её постоянно просили почитать, а я не давала, мне было семь, и книжка была любимая. Я её спрятала от навязчивых просителей под матрас да там и забыла.
Сегодня я читаю то самое издание 93-го года - новогодний подарок, чудом отыскавшийся бог знает где, может, у человека на авито, а может - у Человека-на-Луне.
И что-то во всем этом есть ужасно правильное. Идеальное, как окружность.
В детстве казалось, что книжка ужасно длинная, а сегодня на то чтобы её прочитать, ушел час.
В детстве у меня было издание 93-го года в переводе Александры Борисенко, а сейчас, на четверть века позже, я сама учусь у Александры Борисенко, той самой, художественному переводу.
В детстве я взяла эту книжку с собой в больницу, когда лежала с сотрясением, и её постоянно просили почитать, а я не давала, мне было семь, и книжка была любимая. Я её спрятала от навязчивых просителей под матрас да там и забыла.
Сегодня я читаю то самое издание 93-го года - новогодний подарок, чудом отыскавшийся бог знает где, может, у человека на авито, а может - у Человека-на-Луне.
И что-то во всем этом есть ужасно правильное. Идеальное, как окружность.
July 7, 2021
This is the final story in the Mary Poppins collection and it is one of the sweeter stories that I’ve come across on this journey.
The story of Luti and the combined effort to get him back home, with a little bit of help from the Man in the Moon, ends with the Holy Terror getting everything that was coming to her. And I loved every second of it. And seeing all of the characters that we have grown to love through the other stories was a really lovely touch as well, and you could easily imagine this story fitting in with the original books.
All in all, I’m quite glad to have gone through the original Mary Poppins stories because I did absolutely love the film growing up and I think it is still one of my favourite films of all times, and it was interesting to see where these characters originated from and how different they were to the characters I knew and loved from the film.
The story of Luti and the combined effort to get him back home, with a little bit of help from the Man in the Moon, ends with the Holy Terror getting everything that was coming to her. And I loved every second of it. And seeing all of the characters that we have grown to love through the other stories was a really lovely touch as well, and you could easily imagine this story fitting in with the original books.
All in all, I’m quite glad to have gone through the original Mary Poppins stories because I did absolutely love the film growing up and I think it is still one of my favourite films of all times, and it was interesting to see where these characters originated from and how different they were to the characters I knew and loved from the film.
July 17, 2017
I read this a long time ago when I was a kid. I saw this in the library and couldn't resist reading it again. Mary is one of my favorite literary characters. She is magical as always. #18 Cherry Tree Lane is a home that is next door to the Banks' residence. It is said to hold wishes and dreams of everyone who lives on that street. No one is really thrilled when Miss Eighteen returns. She has a servant named Luti. Whom she doesn't treat very well at all. Mary Poppins deals with her and helps Luti as well. Wonderful story just as I remember.
April 13, 2024
Not so much Mary Poppins, more Miss Andrew (the Holy Terror and George Banks’ old nanny) and Luti, who she brought with her from South Seas. He was basically her slave, except between 2 and 3 pm when she snored loudly and he visited Jane and Michael. When Luti is called to return home, Mary Poppins makes a larger appearance and the magic starts to happen.
Definitely Andrew singular.
Interesting that the houses are numbered sequentially
21 Admiral Boom
20 with honeysuckle hedge
19 fish pond
18 empty for years
17 Banks
16 Miss Lark
Definitely Andrew singular.
Interesting that the houses are numbered sequentially
21 Admiral Boom
20 with honeysuckle hedge
19 fish pond
18 empty for years
17 Banks
16 Miss Lark
September 9, 2021
I love Luti and the story of him. But Miss Andrews is crazy and I’m not even sure where she got him from. But the entire premise of her using him as a mini slave that she’s going to “teach” rather annoyed me. So I’m kind glad she got what she did in the end. A little sweet justice I suppose.
I still enjoyed this novella because it was all one story instead of a lot of mini stories in one.
I still enjoyed this novella because it was all one story instead of a lot of mini stories in one.
September 3, 2022
If I'd actually read this one, it may have been four stars, but it's surprisingly difficult to find these lessor known books. As with the last few, this was one long story like the ones in the earliest books. Unlike some of the others, this one felt more like the original stories, so I enjoyed it more.
September 5, 2024
This was another great book about a quirky nanny. I truly love the characters P. L. Travers created and brought to vivid life in this series of children's books. Sophie Thompson does an excellent job of narrating this title. I will truly miss my time with Mary Poppins and number 17 Cherry Tree Lane. I highly recommend this book and this series.
August 12, 2018
The final Mary Poppins story and rather a lovely one featuring the various neighbours in Cherry Tree Lane, a boy from the South Seas brought to No 18 by the dreaded Miss Andrews and a trip to the Man in the Moon.
July 5, 2020
Not a fan, but I listened to the audio version which I'm positive contributed to this rating. The reader was incredibly annoying, loud, and some of the voices were racist. I also didn't love this story that much, kinda dull and rambling.
March 15, 2021
Short and sweet. All about the empty house next door, what people imagine in and then The holy Terror returns with a new victim. Mary Poppins comes to the rescue and Miss Andrew gets a taste of her own medicine. I like the idea that all lost items end up on the dark side of the moon, that’s cute.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 85 reviews