Miss Poppins is a fictional character created by P.L. Travers in her 1934 novel, MARY Poppins. She is a magical English nanny who is kind and sensible, yet firm and no-nonsense when it comes to children's behavior. MARY Poppins is also the title of the 1964 Disney film adaptation of the novel, which starred Julie Andrews as the titular character. The film was a huge success and has become a beloved classic.