Once upon a time there was a huge family of children; and they were terribly, terribly naughty ... So begins Nurse Matilda, the first of three books about the no-nonsense nanny who uses magic to rein in the mischievous children in her charge – and changes their lives forever. This covetable, highly collectable new hardback edition of a timeless classic is packed with episode after episode of mischief, mayhem and hilarity, all accompanied by Edward Ardizzone's beautiful original illustrations. The inspiration for the much-loved film Nanny McPhee, starring Emma Thompson and Colin Firth, Nurse Matilda overflows with naughtiness, wit and timeless humour – the perfect gift for mischief-makers both young and old!

Hermione’s bottomless bag; Paddington’s hard stare; Nanny McPhee’s mysterious and magical personality; Yondu’s flying arrow. These seemingly unrelated characters, personality traits and magical belongings all merge under Mary Poppins’s umbrella. Australian-born P. L. Travers’s iconic English governess has been entertaining readers worldwide since 1934. Over time, the audience for Mary Poppins has only grown as a result of various film and stage adaptations (e.g., Disney’s Mary Poppins in 1964 and 2018). This book aims to inform those professionals who are eager to discover more about the connection between popular culture and children’s literature concerning Mary Poppins. It is the first to collect and introduce films, sitcoms and other books that have adapted Mary Poppins’s most characteristic personality traits (such as her bitter-sweet ironic mood), unusual teaching methods, and her use of magical accessories (such as her umbrella and carpet bag).

This work is the only comprehensive guide to sequels in English, with over 84,000 works by 12,500 authors in 17,000 sequences.