Nanny McPhee: the collected tales of Nurse Matilda

Christianna Brand (author)

Edward Ardizzone (illustrations)

Bloomsbury Publishing, UK: 2005; 382pp

ISBN: 0747578990

Genres: adventure, fantasy, humour

Issues: behaviour, ethics, family, values

The Browns are a ridiculously large family, so large that they are simply classified into the Big Ones, the Middling Ones, the Little Ones and the Littlest Ones, not to mention the Baby, who ‘talks a language of its very own'. They are also very naughty, despite their mother's innocent belief that her little darlings wouldn't hurt a fly.

Their wickedness is relentless, their mischief imaginative and they drive away servants on an uncomfortably regular basis. Until the arrival of Nurse Matilda, that is.

Nurse Matilda, a very ugly woman with a front tooth like a tombstone, carries a big black stick and when that stick bangs on the floor - well, it's just astonishing what happens. The Brown children very soon discover that when Nurse Matilda is around, even being naughty can lose its appeal, although unlike many disciplinarians, she doesn't object to good, clean fun.

Although somewhat directionless, being simply a narration of the Brown children's naughtiest escapades and without one particular climax or sustained tension, these three novels provide entertaining reading for both adults and children. Delightful to read aloud, the episodic chapters make them perfect for bedtime reading. Illustrations by her cousin, Edward Ardizzone provide humorous glimpses into the Brown household. It is great to see the Nurse Matilda trilogy republished as they have been loved by every generation of my extended family and are still being introduced to others as, ‘this was one of my favourite books when I was your age'.

Be aware that Emma Thompson altered the narrative and characters a little when writing the screenplay and this book contains the original stories where Mrs Brown is still alive and well and Evangeline is a fat and unloved maid who is later adopted by Great Aunt.