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Welcome to the third and final Online Book Club discussion of Mary Poppins.

How did you enjoy the end of the book? Was it fun to read the book that inspired the famous Disney movie, or did you find it hard to reconcile the two depictions of Mary Poppins? I think if I had read the book version before becoming so familiar with the movie version, I would have had an easier time reading. But I know the movie version so well, so it was hard for me to remember that the book was about Mary Poppins, and not some strange nanny. 

Were you glad to see that the Bird Woman was included in the book? I think she’s a nice character. Did you know that “Feed the Birds” was the only song that P.L. Travers really enjoyed in the movie? Read more about that story and listen to an early version of the song on this post on the Disney Avenue blog. 

What did you think of the Mrs. Corry chapter? I thought it was a little scary and a little weird. Mrs. Corry was very different—she broke off her fingers and fed them to the twins, and she was so mean to Fannie and Annie. I was definitely surprised that the money for the gingerbread stuck to her coat, and I was shocked when she and Mary Poppins glued the stars into the sky. What did you think of that whole scene? Why do you think that wasn’t included in the Disney film? Why do you think P.L. Travers would include such a character and scene in her book? 

I thought the John and Barbara chapter was really interesting. I liked thinking that the babies could communicate with the bird, but I did feel sad that they lost that ability once they got a little older. I wish I had the ability to talk to babies and understand what they’re saying like Mary Poppins does. That would have really come in handy when my sons were little. Did you like this chapter, or did it make you feel a little sad about how quickly time passes? 

The end was very abrupt to me. It made me sad for the children that Mary Poppins just left. I liked that she left presents for them, but I was sad that she didn’t put more effort into her goodbye. 

I think, overall, I was most surprised by the lack of character development throughout the book for Bert and Mr. and Mrs. Banks. They weren’t really in the book at all. I expected Mr. Banks to have a more prevalent role since he was so important in the movie version, but I don’t really remember anything about him from the book. Were you surprised by the lack of supporting characters? What other differences really stood out to you? Were there parts of the book that you enjoyed more than the movie? 

I’m glad I read Mary Poppins to understand the movie’s source material. I’m not sure if I am going to read any others in the series, though. Has anyone else read any of the other books? Do you think I would enjoy reading more about Mary Poppins? 

If you want to hear what stars of Saving Mr. Banks think P.L. Travers would have thought of the movie, check out the above clip. 

If you enjoyed the book this month, you might enjoy the books and movies I included in this list. Make sure to let me know if you decide to check out anything on the list. 

I hope you enjoyed reading along with us this month. In January, we’re reading Fahrenheit 451. I hope you’ll join us next month, and I can’t wait to hear what you thought of Mary Poppins in the comments section. 

Welcome to week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of Mary Poppins. 

How did you feel about the first section? There are definitely a couple of big differences between the book version and the movie version starring Julie Andrews. The first major difference is that there are more Banks children in the book than there are in the movie! Were you surprised that Jane and Michael had younger twin siblings? Why do you think the movie left out John and Barbara? Do you think the movie would have felt really cluttered if it had four children?     

Another big change was the outing in chapter 2. In the book, Mary Poppins and Bert go on the adventure into the painting alone without the children. They do ride on a carousel, just like in the movie, but they aren’t served and entertained by penguin waiters. Even though the animated penguins in the movie were a huge hit with viewers, P.L. Travers wasn’t a fan. In fact, she did not like much of Walt Disney’s adaptation, a fact this article from The Saturday Evening Post explains well. What do you think after reading the first section? Do you think that Walt Disney faithfully recreated the character of Mary Poppins on the screen, or do you think he completely missed her spirit and character? 

At the end of the Laughing Gas chapter, Mary Poppins tries to convince the children that her uncle did not float up to the ceiling, and she tells them that she is offended by the idea that they all had tea on the ceiling. Why do you think she would do that? What kind of lesson is she trying to teach the children? In the next chapter, she attempts to convince the children that she can’t speak to dogs, even though they can clearly hear her talking with Andrew from next door. Why do you think she keeps trying to make the children think she’s not magical? What did you think of Andrew and the fact that he wanted to live with troublesome dog? Did that chapter give you some Lady and the Tramp vibes? It seemed like a bit of a similar story. 

In the version that I read, chapter 6, in which Mary Poppins and the children use a magical compass to travel the world and meet a variety of animals, was labeled the “Revised version.” I was, of course, curious why this chapter had to be revised. A blog post from the science-fiction publisher Tor explains that in the original version, they met people, but Travers received enough complaints over the stereotypical depictions and language that she eventually revised the chapter.

Which one of the chapters in this section was your favorite? Did you feel like the story flowed together well, or did you feel like it was almost like reading a book of short stories? What do you think of the book version of the Mary Poppins character? Do you wish she were a little nicer? 

If you want to learn more about P.L. Travers and her relationship to Walt Disney, watch this clip with scenes from Saving Mr. Banks. It gives some great historical detail. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec8pPQDIOfg

I hope you enjoyed this first section and are excited to read the rest of the book for next week. I look forward to reading your comments!

Welcome to December’s Online Book Club discussion. This month, we’re reading Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers. 

The Online Book Club, if you’ve never joined us before, is a book discussion group that takes place entirely online. Each week, I write a new blog post that talks about different aspects of the book, and you can interact directly with me and other readers by leaving your comments. Check back each week and see what new topics we’re talking about.

Mary Poppins is the story of a nanny who flies into town with the wind and shakes up the Banks family. Jane, Michael, and the twins, John and Barbara, have experienced many nannies, but they have never encountered someone like Mary Poppins. She slides up banisters, pulls lots of things out of an empty carpet bag, and produces magical medicine that changes taste for each person. She takes the kids on adventures and introduces them to fascinating characters. 

If you want to follow along with us, but you aren’t interested in reading the book, you can always watch the movie adaptation starring Julie Andrews, or you can check out Saving Mr. Banks, which gives a behind-the-scenes look at how Walt Disney and P.L. Travers brought the movie to life. I’m including the trailers for both movies above if you want to get a feel for the way they play out on screen. Feel free to still leave comments on the blog posts, even if you are only watching one or both films and not reading the book.

We’ll be discussing the first 6 chapters, so make sure you read those before checking back next week. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments section. 

Welcome to the final Online Book Club discussion of Between Shades of Gray!

Were you able to finish the book this week? Were you satisfied with the ending, or did you wish there was more to Lina’s story? 

Once Lina and her family are relocated from the Altai labor camp, their circumstances turn increasingly desperate. When I read about the family’s time in Altai, I couldn’t imagine harsher circumstances. But, their time at the camp almost seemed like a party compared to their experience in Trofimovsk. I couldn’t believe that they had no supplies, and there was no plan to keep them safe from the harsh winter conditions. They were definitely sent there to die, not survive. 

What stuck out to you most about their time in Trofimovsk? I keep thinking about how they were forced to set up sick bunkers since so many people were becoming sick and they had to keep the healthy people safe. I also think about them eating a snowy owl. I know that owl was a miracle to them, but I just can’t imagine having to eat an owl to survive. 

What did you think of the fact that Lina’s mother didn’t survive? It was heartbreaking when she finally passed—especially after they looked in her suitcase and realized she had saved a set of clothes so she could be reunited with her husband in clean clothing. That detail made me feel so sad. 

Did you have a hard time picturing what the huts they built would have looked like? The Baltic Initiative and Network has pictures of a reconstructed yurt that recreates the ones built by deported Lithuanians. Can you picture Lina and the other prisoners trying to survive in a structure like that? 

Lina and her brother would not have survived if that doctor had not visited the camp. What did you think when he arrived? 

At the end of the book, Lina’s writings and drawings are finally found. She buried them to preserve the record of her experience. Lina’s actions were not simply imagined by Ruta Sepetys—they were inspired by real people who buried messages to be found after the war. In 2015, while restoring an old theater, workers found a message left by prisoners who originally built the theater. Ruta Sepetys also shared that she was inspired by the true story recounted in Shadows on the Tundra by Dalia Grinkevičiūtė. Even though I wished Lina’s story could have been shared during her time, it seems like it was more historically accurate for her to bury her work to be found later. 

What other things from this section stood out to you? What important events did I not mention? What parts were the hardest for you to read? 

If you’re curious what happened to some of the labor camps after the war was over, check out this article shows how people live in these areas now. 

Finally, the video below shows Ruta Sepetys talking about the novel. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this book with us this month. If you enjoyed the book and want to read more like it, check out this list I created. Make sure to tell me if you check out anything on the list!

Join us again next month as we read Mary Poppins. I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments section!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of Between Shades of Gray.

How was your reading experience this week? This section was really intense, and it was hard for me to read. I had to take a few breaks, just to recover from all the horrible things happening to Lina and her family. 

On top of the harsh weather, Lina and her family had to deal with the mean Altaian woman. In chapter 31, Lina describes how her mom had to pay the Altaian woman for one potato for the three of them to share. Then, she had to pay for the privilege of boiling the potato. Didn’t it seem almost too much for them to have to deal with this woman on top of everything else they had to deal with? 

At the beginning of this section, Lina’s mother refuses to help the Russians after they ask her to work as a translator and spy. Lina initially looks down on Andrius and his mother since they seem to be collaborators. Did you ever think that Andrius and his mother were working for the Russians? I wasn’t sure why they were with the Russians, but I figured that Andrius’s mother hadn’t gone with them willingly. What did you think when Andrius finally explained to Lina why he and his mother were around the Russians? Didn’t you think they were brave for trying to use their position to help the others? After her confrontation with Andrius, Lina agrees to draw a map for the Russians. Were you surprised that she was willing to put her artistic talents to use for the enemy?

Throughout this section, the prisoners debate whether they should sign the document that said that they would pay a war tax and would agree to serving a sentence of twenty-five years of hard labor. The prisoners are, not surprisingly, hesitant to sign the document. Could you believe the ways the Russians worked to break their spirits and force them to sign the papers? 

Near the end of this section, the prisoners celebrate Christmas. I was shocked that they were able to find joy during the holiday season. They all had such strength of spirit. 

This section ended with Lina getting some drawings sent out of their camp. Do you think it will make a difference? Do you think anyone will see what she drew? What do you think will happen in the next section? How do you think the prisoners will be able to continue surviving? 

Did you know that Ruta Sepetys got the inspiration from this book from her own family? While trying to understand her family history, Sepetys learned more about the Holocaust in Lithuania and was inspired to write a story to help others learn. If you want to read more about Sepetys’ family history, the Hope and Spirit project has information about some of the letters her family sent from Siberia, as well as letters from others deported there.

Finally, to learn more about life in a gulag, the video below tells the story of Elena Juciūte, a real Lithuanian woman who was deported to a gulag in but survived to tell about her experience. 

I’m sure I left out important details from this section, so feel free to leave me a comment to let me know what other parts of this section stuck out to you. And, make sure to finish the book before checking back with us next week!

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of Between Shades of Gray. 

How did you feel about the first section? It is an intense and sobering story, isn’t it? But it’s still so engaging and well written. I didn’t want to know what would happen next because I knew it would be horrible, but I also couldn’t stop reading. 

One of the most sobering parts of this first section was when Lina’s mother saved Jonas by offering a pocket watch to the Soviet guard. At the end of that chapter, Lina says, “Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother’s was worth a pocket watch.” Isn’t it sad to think about that exchange in those terms? A watch is such a small thing—it’s unimaginable to think that it would be enough to save a whole person. That line and episode stuck with me while I read the rest of the chapters in this section. 

What do you think of the characters so far? They are all so brave—Lina’s mother especially. She shows no fear in front of the guards. Lina and her brother are courageous, too. I couldn’t believe Lina would search the other trains for her father. What did you think of some of the other characters on the train, like the bald man or Ona? The bald man was unlikable, but my heart ached for Ona throughout the train ride. What did you think of Andrius and his mother? I think it helped Lina to have someone her own age on the train. 

Did you find yourself feeling curious about the artist, Edvard Munch, since Lina mentioned him so often? Before reading this book, I was only familiar with his painting, The Scream. Check out edvardmunch.org to learn more about him and see more of his paintings.

What did you think of the flashbacks sprinkled throughout the narrative? At first, I was a little confused by them. They took me out of the narrative a little, and I wasn’t sure what the information added to the story. I got used to them as I continued reading, though. Did you think they were distracting, or did you enjoy them? 

When the group finally gets to the farming area, they endure the humiliation of undressing in front of the guards. Wasn’t that scene vivid? My heart was completely broken when I read the scene where the guard touched Lina without her consent. That was incredibly sad and disturbing. And, then, when a guard unexpectedly shot Ona, I thought I was going to be sick. She was such a broken woman, and she definitely didn’t deserve the ending she received. 

This section ends with the family in Siberia on a beet farm. They are living with an Altaian woman, and she does not seem interested in sharing a space with Lina and her family. Were you curious what Altai looks like? This tourism site has some beautiful pictures. Keep in mind that those photos are intended to make it look much more hospitable than when Lina and her family were there!

What do you think it would be like to play a character like Lina in a movie? Check out the video link below to find out what the actress who plays Lina in the movie thought of the experience. The clip also contains some behind-the-scenes views of the movie. I always think seeing peeks of movies getting made is really interesting. 

I hope you were able to get through this section, and I hope you’re excited to get to the next section for next week. Make sure to read chapters 29–57 before joining us next week! And, make sure to leave a comment, so I know how you enjoyed the beginning of the book. 

Welcome to November’s Online Book Club discussion. This month, we’re reading Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. 

The Online Book Club, if you’ve never joined us before, is a book discussion group that takes place entirely online. Each week, I write a new blog post that talks about different aspects of the book, and you can interact directly with me and other readers by leaving your comments. Check back each week and see what new topics we’re talking about.

Between Shades of Gray follows 15-year-old Lina and her family after the Soviet secret police remove them from their home and send them to Siberia. Her father is separated from the family and is sentenced to death in a prison camp; Lina, her brother, and her mother are sentenced to hard labor for crimes against the government. Throughout this incredible story, Lina and her family fight to stay alive and to stay together, finding joy in little moments. Also, Lina works to keep her family’s story alive by leaving drawings of her experience behind. This story is inspired by true events and shows the strength of human nature. 

If you want to follow along with us, but you aren’t interested in reading the book, you can always watch the movie version, called Ashes In The Snow, which is available on Hoopla. I’m including the trailer above if you want to get a feel for the way the story plays out on screen. Feel free to still leave comments on the blog posts, even if you are only watching the film and not reading the book.

We’ll be discussing chapters 1–28, so make sure you read those chapters before joining us next week. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments section. 

Welcome to the final Online Book Club discussion of Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. 

Are you relieved that you made it all the way through the book? It was pretty long!

When we left off last week, we had a hint that Resa was Meggie’s mother, but I wondered how she became mute and how she got out of the story. We found out in chapter 39 that the other reader, Darius, read her out of the story, and she lost her voice in the process. As soon as Meggie hears that the woman was read out of the story and she had hair like spun gold, Meggie assumes the woman must be her mother. Were you surprised she was able to put it together so quickly? 

I was curious throughout the first part of the book about who Capricorn would want read out of the book. I thought it might be a loved one or a trusted servant—I wasn’t expecting a horrible creature like the Shadow. Didn’t you feel a little frustrated with Fenoglio that he would write such a terrifying monster into his story? He really filled Inkheart with terrible villains. 

What did you think of Dustfinger’s admission that he knew who Resa was, but he didn’t want to admit that she belonged to Mo, the man who read him out of his home? I thought it was really sad. I know Mo read Dustfinger out of his home story, but he didn’t mean to. It isn’t fair to keep Resa from her family, just because Dustfinger didn’t want to admit that she should be with Mo and Meggie. I was glad that Meggie was able to go and see her mother and Dustfinger in the crypt. That section was pretty intense with the fight between Dustfinger and Basta, but I did enjoy that Resa was able to slip a note to Meggie. It was a pretty sweet note, didn’t you think? 

I thought it was a bad idea for Elinor to go to the police, but the experience ended up being great because it brought Resa and Elinor together. Did you feel sorry for the police officer who had been intimidated by Capricorn and his men, or did you wish that he would stand up to them? It was good that Resa and Elinor were together—I think it gave them both strength and bravery during Meggie’s performance, and it gave Meggie strength, too. 

What did you think of the section about Meggie’s performance? I thought it was a bit anticlimactic. I thought we had waited for so many chapters to see what would happen with the Shadow and Capricorn, and then, it was just done in an instant. And, we didn’t really get to see any of the action because we were reading Meggie’s thoughts as she read. I was glad that Mo was able to finish off Capricorn, but I still felt like I wanted more out of that chapter. 

Why do you think Basta and Dustfinger stayed and didn’t return to the book with everyone else? Why do you think Fenoglio disappeared? Do you have any idea what might happen next for the characters? Were you satisfied with the ending? What would you have done differently if you were writing the ending? 

Meggie was such an interesting character. She was strong and brave, but she was still believable as a young girl. This interview from Scholastic discusses Cornelia Funke’s inspiration for the character, among other things. You might also enjoy this essay from Bustle in which the author talks about how different her experience was when she re-read Inkheart as an adult from when she read it as a child. 

If you liked this book, check out the rest of the trilogy, Inkspell and Inkdeath. You can also find more books and movies with similar themes and characters on this list I created. Make sure to let me know if you check out Inkspell or any of the books and movies on my list. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this book along with me this month. Next month, we’re reading Between Shades of Gray. It’s a much more serious book than Inkheart, but I hope you enjoy it. Make sure to leave me a comment to let me know how you enjoyed the ending of Inkheart. I look forward to hearing from you!