I enjoyed this book which explores the making of Mary Poppins, one of the best Disney musical films and superior to the original book (although P L Travers did not think so!) If you’ve seen the film Saving Mr Banks, you’ll know some of the story already. This book is a detailed look at the development of the film and in particular the careers of the Sherman brothers, the songwriters.

The first quarter of the book is focused on what came before and although I appreciated the biography of the Sherman brothers, it didn’t always keep my attention, but once we got to the adaptation from book to screen, it was fascinating. I learned that originally more of the book was kept in, such as the journey to the points of a magical compass and the frankly odd episode with the human zoo. It was very interesting to learn the reasoning behind various decisions made by the songwriters, producers and Disney himself. The casting, animation and special effects were all fun to read about. Knowing how the scenery was done with matte paintings and cut-outs, or how the actors were suspended on wires, or how the nursery tidied itself up, did not make the film seem any less magical. Finally we reach the hype of the film’s premiere and the super success of the soundtrack, plus the positive effects the film had on the careers of those involved, especially Julie Andrews. The book has a slightly academic tone but is very accessible and if you’re a fan of Mary Poppins I’d highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher W W Norton for the review copy via NetGalley. The release date is 11th November.