First sentence: If you are looking for Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane--and it is likely that you are, for this book is all about this particular house--you'll find it.
Premise/plot: This book is a picture book adaptation of the novel. It is beautifully illustrated by Genevieve Godbout. Amy Novesky, the adapter, has selected a few scenes from the novel to share with young readers. These scenes may or may not be what you expect. (There's no kite-flying, for example. Nor jumping into sidewalk pictures. The match-man is simply the 'match-man' and not BERT.) The children do visit Mr. Wigg and have a tea party on the ceiling, visit a special bakery with gold stars, and visit the zoo at night.
My thoughts: I really enjoyed the illustrations. I thought they were WONDERFUL.
I'm not sure how I feel about the adaptation of the narrative. Perhaps because I've read Mary Poppins several times and I can't imagine leaving out a single scene--or character. Perhaps because it feels a bit rushed.
For example, in this picture book Mary Poppins just shows up. Readers are not told the family was looking for a nanny. There were no advertisements placed. She is just THERE. She moves in without a single person questioning who she is and why she's there. Which brings something else to mind, never once does the picture book mention that this is the BANKS family.
I like the idea of a picture book adaptation. (Though I'd also recommend just reading the original novel aloud to young children. There is something DELIGHTFUL about the novel. Reading novels aloud should be encouraged. One doesn't have to stick with picture books.)
Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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