Mary Shepard facts for kids

Mary Shepard (born December 25, 1909 – died September 4, 2000) was a talented English artist. She was famous for drawing pictures for children's books. Mary Shepard is best known for her amazing illustrations in the Mary Poppins book series. These popular stories were written by P. L. Travers.

Mary Shepard's Life and Art

Mary Shepard was born on December 25, 1909. She grew up to become a very important illustrator. Her work brought many beloved characters to life.

Family of Artists

Mary Shepard's father was E. H. Shepard. He was also a very famous illustrator. He drew the pictures for Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. He also illustrated a 1931 edition of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Mary learned a lot about art from her talented father.

Becoming an Illustrator

Mary Shepard studied art at the Slade School of Art. This is a well-known art school. She was only 23 years old when she got her big break. Her father was too busy to illustrate the first Mary Poppins book. The author, P. L. Travers, saw Mary's drawings on a Christmas card. She loved Mary's style and asked her to illustrate the book. This was the start of a long and successful partnership.

Mary Poppins Books

Mary Shepard's drawings helped make Mary Poppins famous. Her illustrations showed the magical nanny and the Banks children. These pictures helped readers imagine the wonderful world of Mary Poppins. She illustrated the Mary Poppins stories from 1934 to 1988.