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Original poster

Ballet shoes. Noel Streatfeild

204 replies

Orangeanddemons · 29/12/2013 15:53

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!

OP posts:
SorrelForbes · 29/12/2013 18:52

Oops, forgot to say that everyone should try to buy copies with the original illustrations by Ruth Jervis (NS's sister) as they really capture the era and characters, IMHO!

MadameDefarge · 29/12/2013 18:53

I loved Appledore...

Did I get that right? Applebough?

eek!

Beautiful illustrations

SorrelForbes · 29/12/2013 18:54

I've also got a pdf of a short story about the Fossils. Happy to email it if anyone would like a copy.

SorrelForbes · 29/12/2013 18:55

Yep, Applebough.

Aldwick · 29/12/2013 18:56

A Vicarage Family was one of my favourite books as a child - would love to know about any sequels.

SorrelForbes · 29/12/2013 18:57

The sequels are Away From The Vicarage and Beyond The Vicarage.

SorrelForbes · 29/12/2013 18:59

Ballet Shoes was originally written as a novel for adults and was called The Whicharts. Copies are available to order online. It's a good read but much darker and more depressing than BS.

spudmasher · 29/12/2013 19:00

My favourite book as a child...such a thrill to see both my girls treading the boards and loving their pointe lessons....

quirrelquarrel · 29/12/2013 19:00

I liked Ballet Shoes but must have read The Painted Garden double as much. And Skating Boots, I think it was called, with the poor little rich girl and unassuming but supremely talented Harriet. bit of a goody goody really Grin great books though yeah.

Also read one called Apple Bough something? read it in sixth form a few times, liked it. About a group of kids whose gifted violinist brother made them rich and they were moving all over the world while he was touring, and they missed having a real home.

Footle · 29/12/2013 19:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SorrelForbes · 29/12/2013 19:06

The train journey from New York to California in The Painted Garden always seemed so exciting.

Grennie · 29/12/2013 19:06

Was it skating boots where one of the girls becomes a comic skater?

MadameDefarge · 29/12/2013 19:08

Lala...yes the hope of her, er, aunt, after the death of her skater champion parents (creepy mouldy skating boots in glass case anyone?)

Then poor kid made to skate for health and companionship to Lala turns out to be proper top class skater, while lala has a career in Disney on Ice ahead of her.

AtticusMcPlatypus · 29/12/2013 19:08

Noel Streatfeild also wrote several books for adults. One of my favourites is Saplings, republished most recently by Persephone Books. Its a beautifully written book about a middle-class family on the cusp of WW2 and how their idyllic lives disintegrate once the war begins. I can highly recommend it.

SorrelForbes · 29/12/2013 19:08

White Boots Grennie. Lala isn't good enough, technically, to be a figure skater so becomes an exhibition skater.

There's a short story about both girls in the NS Ballet Annual.

SorrelForbes · 29/12/2013 19:09

Oh yes, Saplings is a lovely book. I've got a few of her other adult novels too. I'll have to dig them out!

Grennie · 29/12/2013 19:10

I loved that book, but I couldn't remember the name, I still remember how Lala couldn't master a particular step no matter how many times she practised it.

barbarianoftheuniverse · 29/12/2013 19:12

"White Boots" i think. It was lovely, and so was the wistful Great Aunt Dymphna in The Growing Summer. I bought my sister 'By the Nursery Fire' for Christmas last year.

Happiestinwellybobs · 29/12/2013 19:15

I loved White Boots, in fact I'm sure I have a copy in the loft. I remember reading the whole book in a night when I was poorly and couldn't sleep. I can't wait for DD to read all these lovely books.

ancientbuchanan · 29/12/2013 23:00

I also loved The Growing Summer, and Caldicott Place, which has a brilliant depiction of the father slowly coming back to normality after a trauma.

There is such a huge amount in most if the books, so many levels.

But I confess I wasn't so keen on the Gemma ones.

TheNightIsDark · 29/12/2013 23:04

I love the Drina books. I read them all in order the other month now they're put aside for DD.

I have Gemma and Sisters. My not so DM has lost the others Angry

Not read ballet shoes but have just ordered it. For the DD of course!

tassisssss · 29/12/2013 23:08

Ooooh, I had my Mum's hardback copy of this book (she's 65!). Loved it!

miaowmix · 29/12/2013 23:14

Ooh, I loved all her books, especially Apple Bough. I even loved Gemma and Sisters. Also adored Swish of the Curtain - I wanted to live that life! Great thread. Just realised she was probably named Noel (her middle name) because her birthday was Christmas Eve. I may order all her books for me dd now. I've had wine Grin.

MooncupGoddess · 29/12/2013 23:15

Saplings is good, but terribly sad. The best novel I've ever read about the war's psychological effect on children.

I reread Apple Bough recently and got terribly cross about the treatment of the oldest girl, Myra, who is encouraged to subjugate her needs to the rest of the family and never has any friends or does anything for herself.

I love Curtain Up and The Painted Garden best and seeing posts by SorrelForbes always warms my cockles.

SorrelForbes · 29/12/2013 23:18

Blush She's my favourite character in all of the books. I played Aries too some years ago and like to think I channelled some of her talent Wink