Mary Poppins Up, Up and Away

K-Gr 2—Druvert is a master of intricate laser-cut silhouette illustrations and in this title pays homage to the world created by P.L. Travers in her Mary Poppins tales. The narrative opens on a "nice day to dream," with a familiar scene of Jane and Michael Banks leaving Cherry Tree Lane to fly a kite in the park, where they are joined by Mary Poppins, who has descended from the sky with her umbrella. The merry group stroll through London, seeing some of the iconic landmarks of the city, such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Piccadilly Circus, before returning home for tea. Rhyming text is used to connect the black-and-white images and delicate laser-cuts that are the core of the book. Though the visuals are breathtaking, re-creating well-known moments, the story on its own lacks continuity. With no real segue, the children return for tea, where readers actually see them in bed being taken to an underwater world and then up in the starry sky above London with Mary Poppins popping up in the background.