Ballet shoes. Noel Streatfeild

[Orangeanddemons]

Wow! It is fantastic isn't it? I'd forgotten how good it was!

Dd got some book vouchers for Christmas. Took her to get some books and found this. I bought it for me, and M reading it again. It wad my best boom ever when I was little, and it's still great now.

This version even has a bow on the cover! Dd hasn't even been able to get near it!

[talkingnonsense]

Iirc, they were renamed to make them seem like a series in America- white boots became skating shoes and curtain up became theater shoes- I think tennis shoes was the same name in both though!

[talkingnonsense]

And dancing shoes was originally Wintle's wonders I think!

[JassyRadlett]

Yes, and Party Frock became Party Shoes, and A Painted Garden was Movie Shoes. I think Apple Bough became Travelling Shoes?

Ballet Shoes and A Painted Garden are my utter favourites of her children's books, but my true favourite Streatfeild is Grass in Piccadilly. I found a copy signed by Streatfeild left in my old flat. Needless to say it has stayed with me!

[joanofarchitrave]

I think I have read everything she wrote... (for children, anyway) - I still prefer White Boots but Ballet Shoes is fab. I have a bit of a soft spot for Apple Bough too.

[EBearhug]

Does anyone remember a book by Noel Streatfield called 'The Painted Garden'?

Yes, I have it, but haven't read it for years, and don't really remember much other than going to America and a film of the Secret Garden being made.

[Orangeanddemons]

Aaah, now I remember Curtain Up.

[JulesJules]

That was my copy too Madame! Loved the book - secretly wanted to be Petrova - I see I was not alone!

I remember there was a TV version in the 70s, someone from my school was in it.

I also love the follow up books as well as White Boots, Tennis Shoes etc, but my favourite Noel Streatfeild book is A Vicarage Family. Read it if you haven't already, it's wonderful.

[WildThong]

Sorry to hijack, but you are taking me back to my youth! Do you remember the 'Drina Dances' series? I loved them for their simplicity and for the beautiful descriptions of eg New York and Paris.

[ChristmasSocks]

'Party Frock' (party shoes?) Is pleasantly bonkers, a few kids decide to put on a show and it ends up with a cast of hundreds, many on horseback.

'Ballet Shoes for Anna ' is very poignant.

I haven't read ' The Children on the Top Floor' since I was a kid, It's occasionally on Amazon for big money. Most of the others are findable.

There is always a theatrical child who gets a lead role, becomes big-headed, cheeks the director / head of the school and they replace them with the understudy to teach cocky kid a lesson.

[fasterthanthewind]

Wintles Wonders is different

Rather darker, poorer, musical theatre/troupes, not Shakespeare!

[MrsSippie]

'The Swish of the Curtain' I wanted to be in that..

[fasterthanthewind]

Party Frock is lovely. I reread it recently and was SO struck by the description of the children all looking after each other, and of table manners...

[NotALondoner]

I remember the bbc series in the 70s, didn't Tracey the barmaid from Eastenders play either Pauline or Petrova?

[Orangeanddemons]

Ooh the Swish of the Curtain... Now we're talking. I even remember the theme tune.

"Stage struck, no doubt about it, because you're stage struck" I loved that series

[tribpot]

Have you read 'A Vicarage Family'? This is Streatfeild's semi-autobiography, although written for children. There were at least two follow-up novels but they're virtually impossible to find.

[teacherwith2kids]

'Swish of the Curtain' uis by someone else, though, isn't it?

[Can'#t do the whole TV adaptation thing, was brought up in a TV-free house]

[ChristmasSocks]

Swish of the curtain was written by a 14 year old girl.

[MrsSippie]

oh god, it was! sorry!

[MrsSippie]

Pamela Brown. Interestingly, Sarah greene was in the bbc tv series and this caught the attention of Biddy baxter, who then invited her to become a Blue Peter presenter. how sad am I.

[tribpot]

I remember this story too, MrsSippie :) (The discovery of Sarah Greene I mean).

[Littlefish]

Triboot - I loved the Vicarage family and absolutely identified with the main character, as a middle child myself. I didn't realise there were any later novels - can you remember their names?

[Littlefish]

Does anyone remember "The Growing Summer" (I think it was called that) about some children who were sent to Ireland to live with their incredibly eccentric Great Aunt Dymphna and basically left to fend for themselves.... I adored it.

[SorrelForbes]

MadameDefarge This is my copy, also from the 70s ( a tie in with the BBC series). I still have it and re-read it at least one a year. I'm not ashamed to say that it's my favourite book.

NS fans will recognise my MN name from Curtain Up (Theatre Shoes). BS is my favourite, followed by The Painted Garden and Tennis Shoes.

There's loads of info about NS here.

I've just read Tea By The Nursery Fire: A Children's Nanny at the Turn of the Century which I think used to be called Gran-Nannie. You see where the inspiration for all the Nanny type characters came from.