Mary "Meanie McMeaniehead" Poppins

Hello All!  I have a thing for old children's books, they tend to be very different from the sweet, sanitized books we read our kids today.  A lot of these books have been made into movies that have also toned down some of the old fashioned disdain people seemed to have for their children, to the point where most people have never actually read or heard the original stories.  One that is getting some attention right is Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers.  There is a Disney movie version made famous by the wonderful Julie Andrews and a new movie out (which I have yet to see) about how the story went from a book about a vain, snarky nanny to a movie about a sweet, loving singing nanny called Saving Mr. Banks all of this served to catch my interest enough to read the original story.  As always SPOILERS AHEAD.

This book is more of a collection of stories strung together then it is a true singular story.  Essentially the Banks children, Jane, Michael and the baby twins John and Barbara are in need of a nanny and who should come floating in on her parrot handled umbrella but Mary Poppins.  She waltzes in and whisks the children away on several adventures including tea on the ceiling, mediating between a spoiled dog and his overprotective owner, a strange after hours party at the zoo and dates in chalk drawings.  All the while our favorite nanny is actually (excuse my language here) kind of a bitch.  She is constantly being mean and rude to the children, especially the older ones, denying that their adventures ever happened.  She is also very very very vain, constantly looking for reflective surfaces to admire herself in, she also has a penchant for fine clothes, always buying something new.  The book ends with Mary Poppins leaving without even saying goodbye, just ditching the kids in the middle of the day and flying away with no warning, or nanny lined up or anything.  The parents are actually the nice ones in this book, even if they are a bit flaky and you kind of feel bad that they end up in the lurch they are in.  And that is the end of book one.

I know not a very detailed synopsis, but it is a pretty short book.  I loved reading it and love how snarky and borderline mean Mary Poppins is, a far cry from the spoon full of sugar version in the movies.  This seems to be a thing back in the day, they had no problem having authority figures be...well not very nice, but always for the good of the children.  It is nice to see kids expected to behave and to be loved and disciplined in an appropriate manner.  I would love to see what would happen if you tried to publish a book like this now a days, cries of cruelty would abound, yet the children in the books loved their nannies and had many adventures and learned many lessons with them.  I would recommend this book to anybody who misses the old days, like to read about other era's or is just looking for some entertainment.  I give this book 7 out of 10 snakeskin belts.

What old children's story surprised you when you finally read it?  Is it ok to be snarky to kids?  Which versions do you prefer?  I really like kids I swear it!