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Shoes #4
Theatre Shoes
The three grandchildren of a famous actress struggle to achieve success at a special theatrical school in London
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1944
107 people are currently reading
2739 people want to read
About the author
Noel Streatfeild
164 books614 followersMary Noel Streatfeild, known as Noel Streatfeild, was an author best known and loved for her children's books, including Ballet Shoes and Circus Shoes. She also wrote romances under the pseudonym
Susan Scarlett
.
She was born on Christmas Eve, 1895, the daughter of William Champion Streatfeild and Janet Venn and the second of six children to be born to the couple. Sister Ruth was the oldest, after Noel came Barbara, William ('Bill'), Joyce (who died of TB prior to her second birthday) and Richenda. Ruth and Noel attended Hastings and St. Leonard's Ladies' College in 1910. As an adult, she began theater work, and spent approximately 10 years in the theater.
During the Great War, in 1915 Noel worked first as a volunteer in a soldier's hospital kitchen near Eastbourne Vicarage and later produced two plays with her sister Ruth. When things took a turn for the worse on the Front in 1916 she moved to London and obtained a job making munitions in Woolwich Arsenal. At the end of the war in January 1919, Noel enrolled at the Academy of Dramatic Art (later Royal Academy) in London.
In 1930, she began writing her first adult novel, The Whicharts, published in 1931. In June 1932, she was elected to membership of PEN. Early in 1936, Mabel Carey, children's editor of J. M. Dent and Sons, asks Noel to write a children's story about the theatre, which led to Noel completing Ballet Shoes in mid-1936. In 28 September 1936, when Ballet Shoes was published, it became an immediate best seller.
According to Angela Bull, Ballet Shoes was a reworked version of The Whicharts. Elder sister Ruth Gervis illustrated the book, which was published on the 28th September, 1936. At the time, the plot and general 'attitude' of the book was highly original, and destined to provide an outline for countless other ballet books down the years until this day. The first known book to be set at a stage school, the first ballet story to be set in London, the first to feature upper middle class society, the first to show the limits of amateurism and possibly the first to show children as self-reliant, able to survive without running to grownups when things went wrong.
In 1937, Noel traveled with Bertram Mills Circus to research The Circus is Coming (also known as Circus Shoes). She won the Carnegie gold medal in February 1939 for this book. In 1940, World War II began, and Noel began war-related work from 1940-1945. During this time, she wrote four adult novels, five children's books, nine romances, and innumerable articles and short stories. On May 10th, 1941, her flat was destroyed by a bomb. Shortly after WWII is over, in 1947, Noel traveled to America to research film studios for her book The Painted Garden. In 1949, she began delivering lectures on children's books. Between 1949 and 1953, her plays, The Bell Family radio serials played on the Children's Hour and were frequently voted top play of the year.
Early in 1960s, she decided to stop writing adult novels, but did write some autobiographical novels, such as A Vicarage Family in 1963. She also had written 12 romance novels under the pen name "Susan Scarlett." Her children's books number at least 58 titles. From July to December 1979, she suffered a series of small strokes and moved into a nursing home. In 1983, she received the honor Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). On 11 September 1986, she passed away in a nursing home.
She was born on Christmas Eve, 1895, the daughter of William Champion Streatfeild and Janet Venn and the second of six children to be born to the couple. Sister Ruth was the oldest, after Noel came Barbara, William ('Bill'), Joyce (who died of TB prior to her second birthday) and Richenda. Ruth and Noel attended Hastings and St. Leonard's Ladies' College in 1910. As an adult, she began theater work, and spent approximately 10 years in the theater.
During the Great War, in 1915 Noel worked first as a volunteer in a soldier's hospital kitchen near Eastbourne Vicarage and later produced two plays with her sister Ruth. When things took a turn for the worse on the Front in 1916 she moved to London and obtained a job making munitions in Woolwich Arsenal. At the end of the war in January 1919, Noel enrolled at the Academy of Dramatic Art (later Royal Academy) in London.
In 1930, she began writing her first adult novel, The Whicharts, published in 1931. In June 1932, she was elected to membership of PEN. Early in 1936, Mabel Carey, children's editor of J. M. Dent and Sons, asks Noel to write a children's story about the theatre, which led to Noel completing Ballet Shoes in mid-1936. In 28 September 1936, when Ballet Shoes was published, it became an immediate best seller.
According to Angela Bull, Ballet Shoes was a reworked version of The Whicharts. Elder sister Ruth Gervis illustrated the book, which was published on the 28th September, 1936. At the time, the plot and general 'attitude' of the book was highly original, and destined to provide an outline for countless other ballet books down the years until this day. The first known book to be set at a stage school, the first ballet story to be set in London, the first to feature upper middle class society, the first to show the limits of amateurism and possibly the first to show children as self-reliant, able to survive without running to grownups when things went wrong.
In 1937, Noel traveled with Bertram Mills Circus to research The Circus is Coming (also known as Circus Shoes). She won the Carnegie gold medal in February 1939 for this book. In 1940, World War II began, and Noel began war-related work from 1940-1945. During this time, she wrote four adult novels, five children's books, nine romances, and innumerable articles and short stories. On May 10th, 1941, her flat was destroyed by a bomb. Shortly after WWII is over, in 1947, Noel traveled to America to research film studios for her book The Painted Garden. In 1949, she began delivering lectures on children's books. Between 1949 and 1953, her plays, The Bell Family radio serials played on the Children's Hour and were frequently voted top play of the year.
Early in 1960s, she decided to stop writing adult novels, but did write some autobiographical novels, such as A Vicarage Family in 1963. She also had written 12 romance novels under the pen name "Susan Scarlett." Her children's books number at least 58 titles. From July to December 1979, she suffered a series of small strokes and moved into a nursing home. In 1983, she received the honor Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). On 11 September 1986, she passed away in a nursing home.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
March 7, 2018
February 2018: This is, very quietly, one of Streatfield's strongest works. I really, really like this, from that early moment when the American soldier puts the basket "half on Hannah's knees, and half on the skinny knees of the woman with her rights" - or maybe it's even earlier, from the implicit humor and personality in stressing that Grandfather needed to underline that last animal before he died. And that personality, subtle though it may be, carries through the entire book through Mark's letters from Wilton House to this moment:
July 2015: This is another good one, and it isn't hampered by the constant Fossil mentions. One thing that struck me this reread, particularly reading all the Shoes books out of order, is that there's no clear timeline established for all the talented kids who look up to the Fossils. I'm convinced this is the first one, because it's so clearly a wartime book (its strongest aspect) and I think the novel states that Pauline is only eighteen, which means constant mentions of her aren't completely ridiculous, since she'd been a student at the school so recently.
Madame Fidolia is also recognizably herself here, or at least recognizable as the character who first appears in Ballet Shoes. In Movie Shoes and Traveling Shoes, she's practically a fairy godmother, which doesn't work with her previously-established character. I've decided that Movie Shoes takes place a few years after this book, and that the Miriam name-dropped in it as a talented dancer is this book's Miriam Cohen (a delight, but very much Posy Fossil 2.0; in contrast, Holly is much more unique character) - how many truly promising Miriams can there be at Madame Fidolia's school? And Traveling Shoes must come last; I can't imagine the Forums touring Russia and Japan during World War II. The only question is why Ettie hasn't heard of Sorrel or Miriam, or even Rachel from Movie Shoes.
I shouldn't hold the confusing timeline against this book, though. It's charming.
Grandmother looked at him a little while in silence. Then her eyes twinkled. "Go to your horrid little boys' school. I've one great comfort, Mark. What an atrocious nuisance you will be to the Royal Navy."TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU HOW HILARIOUSLY PERFECT THIS IS.
July 2015: This is another good one, and it isn't hampered by the constant Fossil mentions. One thing that struck me this reread, particularly reading all the Shoes books out of order, is that there's no clear timeline established for all the talented kids who look up to the Fossils. I'm convinced this is the first one, because it's so clearly a wartime book (its strongest aspect) and I think the novel states that Pauline is only eighteen, which means constant mentions of her aren't completely ridiculous, since she'd been a student at the school so recently.
Madame Fidolia is also recognizably herself here, or at least recognizable as the character who first appears in Ballet Shoes. In Movie Shoes and Traveling Shoes, she's practically a fairy godmother, which doesn't work with her previously-established character. I've decided that Movie Shoes takes place a few years after this book, and that the Miriam name-dropped in it as a talented dancer is this book's Miriam Cohen (a delight, but very much Posy Fossil 2.0; in contrast, Holly is much more unique character) - how many truly promising Miriams can there be at Madame Fidolia's school? And Traveling Shoes must come last; I can't imagine the Forums touring Russia and Japan during World War II. The only question is why Ettie hasn't heard of Sorrel or Miriam, or even Rachel from Movie Shoes.
I shouldn't hold the confusing timeline against this book, though. It's charming.
November 19, 2022
Theater Shoes wasn't my favorite of Streatfeild's when I read them as a child. There is a darker tone to the story, as it takes place during WWII while the children's father is missing in action. As an adult, however, I grew in appreciation of the Forbes children, their honesty and resilience, and their love for one another. The Fossils from Ballet Shoes are in the background, but the Forbes are not just the Fossils by another name. They speak up for each other more than the Fossils did (each girl tended to speak up for herself) and experience different hardships.
Streatfeild is a wizard at setting a scene during the children's hard conversations among themselves. Instead of using conversation tags, she describes their movements, communicating their feelings of anxiety, hope, and frustration more clearly. I also love the glimpse we get into wartime theater through the Warren family, and the character of Uncle Francis (though annoying) is so perfectly drawn. Only a theater world insider could have written such a book, and I love that Streatfeild made this world real to her readers. She does nasty characters as well as kind characters, which makes both more satisfying.
Streatfeild is a wizard at setting a scene during the children's hard conversations among themselves. Instead of using conversation tags, she describes their movements, communicating their feelings of anxiety, hope, and frustration more clearly. I also love the glimpse we get into wartime theater through the Warren family, and the character of Uncle Francis (though annoying) is so perfectly drawn. Only a theater world insider could have written such a book, and I love that Streatfeild made this world real to her readers. She does nasty characters as well as kind characters, which makes both more satisfying.
February 4, 2024
Listening to the audio in June 2021 because I can’t remember the story at all! Also, I just finished Noel Streatfeild’s “On Tour: An Autobiographical Novel of the 20s”, so it is fun to see the theatre parallels between Noel’s own life and this book. “On Tour” was fascinating. Noel’s writing isn’t as poetic or epic as Narnia or Elizabeth Goudge’s children’s stories, but her characters are so engaging and there is a thread of goodness in the stories that I find delightful and that make her one of my favorite children’s authors (albeit one I discovered as an adult!).
December 9, 2020
This story of three children who are at the moment without both parents is the most reminiscent of Shoes, #1 and also fittingly has the strongest connection to the Fossil girls. I don't want to give any spoilers, but this one is especially fitting for the Christmas season. Theater lovers will most definitely feel at home in this book and it would make a delightful read aloud for a middle grade classroom. Sure it is old-fashioned, but there are enduring ideals that stand the test of time. Really, really loved it!
September 24, 2019
Booklovers everywhere have all drooled over the little book shop Kathleen Kelly owned in the delightful movie, You've Got Mail. We've relished the thought of working among such an atmosphere of twinkle lights and children's literature. And what a selection she had too. Whoever was in charge of choosing the books to be highlighted in the movie did a pretty top-notch job! Have you read them all? Notable mentions are The Betsy-Tacy books and The Shoe Series.
"Noel Streatfeild wrote Ballet Shoes and Skating Shoes and Theatre Shoes and Dancing Shoes. I’d start with Ballet Shoes first; it’s my favorite. Although Skating Shoes is completely wonderful—but it’s out of print." —Kathleen Kelly, You’ve Got Mail
If you haven't read this fun series, it's about time you did. Ballet Shoes probably should be read first but the stories are all pretty individual, with different characters in each; the only thing linking them are "shoes" and the characters in the first book being referenced once or twice in a couple other titles. So if you or your child has a favorite recreation and there's a shoe for it, you'd be fine just starting with the one you're excited about the most.
Enjoy!
Ages: 8 - 14
Cleanliness: The main characters don't always do what is right, but they do learn from their mistakes and improve their character. The word "Jap" is used to refer to the Japanese. Alcohol is mentioned.
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!
Visit my website!
"Noel Streatfeild wrote Ballet Shoes and Skating Shoes and Theatre Shoes and Dancing Shoes. I’d start with Ballet Shoes first; it’s my favorite. Although Skating Shoes is completely wonderful—but it’s out of print." —Kathleen Kelly, You’ve Got Mail
If you haven't read this fun series, it's about time you did. Ballet Shoes probably should be read first but the stories are all pretty individual, with different characters in each; the only thing linking them are "shoes" and the characters in the first book being referenced once or twice in a couple other titles. So if you or your child has a favorite recreation and there's a shoe for it, you'd be fine just starting with the one you're excited about the most.
Enjoy!
Ages: 8 - 14
Cleanliness: The main characters don't always do what is right, but they do learn from their mistakes and improve their character. The word "Jap" is used to refer to the Japanese. Alcohol is mentioned.
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!
Visit my website!
December 4, 2015
The premise of Theater Shoes reminds me a little bit of Harry Potter, oddly enough. After their grandfather dies, somebody comes to the the Forbes children and is like, "Guess what? Your grandmother is a famous actress and your uncle is a film star, and you have aunts and uncles and cousins that you never knew existed because your grandmother disowned your mother for eloping." YOU'RE A WIZARD, HARRY.
I thoroughly enjoy this book. It's about discovering talent you never knew you had because nobody ever looked at you and said, "You're good at reciting poetry, you should go on the stage!" It's about finding your tribe, about making the most of every opportunity, even the crappy ones--my favorite part is when Sorrel is dancing in the chorus of lambs at the first concert for the wounded soldiers, and she smiles at a Chinese soldier, who then asks to meet her and gives her a little fish pendant for good luck--and about being the best you that you can be, even when the world is putting pressure on you to be somebody or something else. I also love the sort of meta post-Ballet Shoes world this book is set in, with perfectly in-character letters from Pauline, Petrova and Posy.
This is also the book that taught me what Cockney rhyming slang was, featuring such sentences as "And when it comes to dishing up I never know how to drag my plates of meat up the apples and pears." Alice for the win!
I thoroughly enjoy this book. It's about discovering talent you never knew you had because nobody ever looked at you and said, "You're good at reciting poetry, you should go on the stage!" It's about finding your tribe, about making the most of every opportunity, even the crappy ones--my favorite part is when Sorrel is dancing in the chorus of lambs at the first concert for the wounded soldiers, and she smiles at a Chinese soldier, who then asks to meet her and gives her a little fish pendant for good luck--and about being the best you that you can be, even when the world is putting pressure on you to be somebody or something else. I also love the sort of meta post-Ballet Shoes world this book is set in, with perfectly in-character letters from Pauline, Petrova and Posy.
This is also the book that taught me what Cockney rhyming slang was, featuring such sentences as "And when it comes to dishing up I never know how to drag my plates of meat up the apples and pears." Alice for the win!
July 12, 2015
My favorite part of this one, the thing that's stuck with me through the years is
One thing that struck me this time is how great Streatfeild is at writing kids in that the kids who are kind of jerks remain kind of jerks. I MEAN. Miranda never learns to be a better person. That's not what the story is about.
(I think Dulcie in Dancing Shoes gets there someday, though. That poor kid needs to get away from her mother.)
One thing that struck me this time is how great Streatfeild is at writing kids in that the kids who are kind of jerks remain kind of jerks. I MEAN. Miranda never learns to be a better person. That's not what the story is about.
(I think Dulcie in Dancing Shoes gets there someday, though. That poor kid needs to get away from her mother.)
April 25, 2024
I'm so glad I was finally able to read this "Shoe" book and happy to say that I loved it. Ballet Shoes has been a favorite of mine for many years, and it was very special to return to that world. (Pauline, Petrova and Posy have all moved on from the Academy, but they are mentioned several times and become long-distance patrons to the stars of this book.) Streatfeild is so insightful about the minds and hearts of children --and respectful about it, too. (I can't stand those wink-and-nod type narrators who look down at children from their oh-so-knowing heights of adulthood.) She is also so totally spot-on about the world of theater. I found myself transported to many of my own theater experiences (both as a performer and an audience member) -- I think this book would resonate both for those with a theater background or those who just want to vicariously experience the highs and lows of a life on stage. Reading this book today, it's also a bit of a time capsule of London near the end of World War II. I appreciate that it doesn't get too heavy, but the children do have many challenging experiences of wartime -- from the very significant (their father is MIA) to the small-but-still-painful (such as not having the money for a briefcase, like all the other students at the Academy). Every character is three-dimensional such that you can feel moments of sympathy even though they might not always act in admirable ways. (I prefer this to the full-on villains as it's more true to life.) Sorrel, Mark and Holly are wonderful protagonists, and felt very real to me with their strengths and weaknesses, fears and dreams. Though not a Christmas book, a few scenes do take place at Christmas so this might be a nice choice to read near the holidays. I finished it a few months ago and still think of it fondly.
January 31, 2025
Three children are forced to live with their grandmother during the war while their father is away in the Navy. They are sent to the Children's Academy for Dancing and Stage Training. Their grandmother and grandfather and all their aunts and uncles and cousins are actors and actresses, so their grandmother expects them to inherit this family talent. Sorrel, the eldest girl, is given a scholarship for dramatic acting, but she doesn't know if she really deserves it, or is it just her family fame that makes everyone expect great things from her. Mark, the only boy in the family, has a good singing voice, but he wants to be in the Navy like his father when he grows up. He hates the Academy, and wishes he could go to a proper boarding school. The youngest girl, Holly, is happy with her dancing classes, but she feels out of place because they are poor. All the other children have nicer clothes and fancy cases for their tap shoes. But these three siblings will have to find their own place in the theater despite their difficulties.
I love the characters in this book! They are all so imaginative and they have really cute games of pretend. Mark is especially imaginative, and if you can get him imagining something fun, then he enjoys even dance class. Sorrel feels like she is responsible for everyone, like a typical eldest child, and especially because there is a war on, she works really hard to protect her siblings.
The writing has such a sweet charm! The story is interesting and funny. I love this series of books!
I love the characters in this book! They are all so imaginative and they have really cute games of pretend. Mark is especially imaginative, and if you can get him imagining something fun, then he enjoys even dance class. Sorrel feels like she is responsible for everyone, like a typical eldest child, and especially because there is a war on, she works really hard to protect her siblings.
The writing has such a sweet charm! The story is interesting and funny. I love this series of books!
March 14, 2011
Confession: As a child (and young teen) I read Theater Shoes more often than I read Ballet Shoes. I would even say I loved Theater Shoes a tiny bit more, though I really am not sure why.
For some reason I feel strange admitting this, perhaps because Ballet Shoes is undeniably of a higher calibre. But there you have it!
For some reason I feel strange admitting this, perhaps because Ballet Shoes is undeniably of a higher calibre. But there you have it!
March 31, 2022
This was the second book in the ‘Shoes’ series I’ve read and found it quite enjoyable in most parts. I loved the references to the Fossil sisters from Ballet Shoes and found that a nice touch. That said, I did find parts of it slightly annoying but I’m sure I would have had a different opinion reading it as a 10 year old child, rather than an adult!
October 8, 2024
Reread this with my daughter. That Marc character is really captivating.
April 6, 2012
This is my favorite of the Shoes books, probably because I read it over and over when I was a kid. While reading this copy, however, I was somewhat dismayed to realize that the copy I had was either edited down to make it shorter, or to make it more comprehensible to 1980s American children. Meaning I read an abridged version--the horror! It was both nice to read all the missing parts and very odd, because the book seemed clunkier and like it dragged more with all the extraneous detail added.
Anyway, I'm giving it five stars anyway because it is a fantastic description of Blitz-era London from a child's point of view (that, and nostalgia. And it's charming). My mother grew up in the UK post WW2 and this book really made me realize what an affect rationing, coupons, blackouts, and the like had on the population. I love love love all the theatrical details and the competitive nature of the relationship between Miranda and Sorrel, and I like all the secondary and tertiary characters a great deal. Upon re-reading, though, I think the grandmother should have been ashamed of how her grandchildren were treated, and I wish the aunts and uncles had taken slightly more interest in their welfare.
Anyway, I'm giving it five stars anyway because it is a fantastic description of Blitz-era London from a child's point of view (that, and nostalgia. And it's charming). My mother grew up in the UK post WW2 and this book really made me realize what an affect rationing, coupons, blackouts, and the like had on the population. I love love love all the theatrical details and the competitive nature of the relationship between Miranda and Sorrel, and I like all the secondary and tertiary characters a great deal. Upon re-reading, though, I think the grandmother should have been ashamed of how her grandchildren were treated, and I wish the aunts and uncles had taken slightly more interest in their welfare.
February 7, 2026
Is it possible that I liked this "Shoes" book even more than Skating Shoes? I can't believe it, but yes! ☺️💝
When I was young, I only read Ballet Shoes and I had no idea there were so many books in this series. I also never thought that I would love a middle grade book all about the theater, but Noel Streatfeild has the most amazing talent of writing about subjects I'm not even interested in and making them AWESOME!
WHAT I LOVED:
💖 The most charming and cozy details about clothing, food and everyday living.
💖 Wonderfully real characters—I loved everyone, even the "baddies"! (That's very rare for me.)
💖 Deeply interesting behind-the-scenes descriptions of being in the theater, auditioning, and what you need to do/know/learn as a young actor.
💖 A sense of safety and everything-will-turn-out-okay feeling throughout the book...even when hard things were happening.
💖 Hilarious dialogue from Hannah, Alice, and their Grandmother Warren (aka actress Margaret Shaw).
Besides the Forbes siblings (Sorrel, Mark and Holly), I adored the Head of the Academy, Madame Fidolia. She is comforting and won't stand for any nonsense, but she is also thoughtful, caring and helpful.
I just loved, loved Theatre Shoes...and, especially, the audiobook narrated by Elizabeth Sastre. She is absolutely perfect! This vintage middle grade story brought me so much joy in February! Highly, highly recommended! 😍
When I was young, I only read Ballet Shoes and I had no idea there were so many books in this series. I also never thought that I would love a middle grade book all about the theater, but Noel Streatfeild has the most amazing talent of writing about subjects I'm not even interested in and making them AWESOME!
WHAT I LOVED:
💖 The most charming and cozy details about clothing, food and everyday living.
💖 Wonderfully real characters—I loved everyone, even the "baddies"! (That's very rare for me.)
💖 Deeply interesting behind-the-scenes descriptions of being in the theater, auditioning, and what you need to do/know/learn as a young actor.
💖 A sense of safety and everything-will-turn-out-okay feeling throughout the book...even when hard things were happening.
💖 Hilarious dialogue from Hannah, Alice, and their Grandmother Warren (aka actress Margaret Shaw).
Besides the Forbes siblings (Sorrel, Mark and Holly), I adored the Head of the Academy, Madame Fidolia. She is comforting and won't stand for any nonsense, but she is also thoughtful, caring and helpful.
I just loved, loved Theatre Shoes...and, especially, the audiobook narrated by Elizabeth Sastre. She is absolutely perfect! This vintage middle grade story brought me so much joy in February! Highly, highly recommended! 😍
December 6, 2023
This was a pretty good book. It wasn't super outstanding for me personally, but I think it was just a rare case where I didn't enjoy it as much because I wasn't the target audience. (I read middle grade books fairly regularly and enjoy them as much as YA.) It's still a fun, timeless story that I think a lot of kids would definitely enjoy, and, as a dancer, I really liked the ballet elements! I probably enjoyed it a bit more the first time around, but it was still fun. Definitely going on my list of books for my MG aged book devouring brothers. XD I'd recommend it for ages 8 & up.
March 29, 2022
I find it hard to drop a star on a children’s classic but amongst our buddy read group we all concurred- it’s a lovely story but the cockney rhyming slang gets right on your pip!!
March 14, 2025
This little book is absolutely enchanting. Yet at the same time, there is a quiet weight to it different than that of Ballet Shoes. While it's a children's book as that it was written for the delight of children, in truth it has many elements in which a child would not catch, yet older readers will understand. The fear and yet innocence of the knowledge of war that the main characters face undoubtedly is very profound, and excellently written ~ A book for all ages!
April 25, 2024
My edition reprints the original text along with author's note. Do they all contain the author's note in the beginning? This reprint edition also uses some of the dated language to describe people, especially Asians. I would add a warning before the book gets cancelled. I can also hear cries of "fat shaming" Hannah. (I don't agree with those who cancel old books but I would be OK with an educational note explaining the time period and context in which racial slurs were considered normal descriptions.)
I liked the children and their journey but was appalled that not one of the adults in the family or even Alice had one ounce of empathy for these poor children. Their mother died long ago, their father is missing and presumed dead, their grandfather was distant and unloving and is now dead, they were removed from their schools where they were thriving and thrust into this unfamiliar environment where everyone presumed they'll be talented and pushes them into the world of the theater.
I relate to Sorrel, being the oldest. I would probably feel many of the same things and worry about my siblings' futures too if I were her. Mark's imagination makes him a fabulous actor but he tends to get lost in his own imagination and it makes him a little wacky. Holly doesn't have much of a storyline until near the end. Hers is so sad and like Mark, her imagination comforts her and makes her lose track of reality.
Grandmother is awful. She's selfish and a narcissist. Even her children walk on eggshells around her and flatter her vanity. Is Alice even getting paid or is she content to have a roof over her head, food to eat and to bask in the glow of the famous actress? Hannah is little better, being more rigid and inflexible in her morals and standards. Aunt Lindsey is OK but Uncle Mose is the best of the adults. He's caring, wise and empathetic. His name implies he has Jewish heritage and perhaps he understands how it feels to be a fish out of water and to worry about loved ones safety.
Cousin Miranda is a total chip off the old block. She's Grandmother 2.0. She'll be a diva when she's older and no one will hire her. Miriam is cute and funny. She's the only friendly and open child in the Academy. Madame is kind and sympathetic but can't imagine a world where someone doesn't want to dance or perform on stage.
The WWII Britain setting is used as a backdrop but the hardships of wartime are felt keenly and mentioned often. I like how the author just assumes kids will figure it out or know what she means by coupons and you can't get ... without talking down to the kids and explaining it all in narrative. The historical details are just woven right into the story.
I liked the children and their journey but was appalled that not one of the adults in the family or even Alice had one ounce of empathy for these poor children. Their mother died long ago, their father is missing and presumed dead, their grandfather was distant and unloving and is now dead, they were removed from their schools where they were thriving and thrust into this unfamiliar environment where everyone presumed they'll be talented and pushes them into the world of the theater.
I relate to Sorrel, being the oldest. I would probably feel many of the same things and worry about my siblings' futures too if I were her. Mark's imagination makes him a fabulous actor but he tends to get lost in his own imagination and it makes him a little wacky. Holly doesn't have much of a storyline until near the end. Hers is so sad and like Mark, her imagination comforts her and makes her lose track of reality.
Grandmother is awful. She's selfish and a narcissist. Even her children walk on eggshells around her and flatter her vanity. Is Alice even getting paid or is she content to have a roof over her head, food to eat and to bask in the glow of the famous actress? Hannah is little better, being more rigid and inflexible in her morals and standards. Aunt Lindsey is OK but Uncle Mose is the best of the adults. He's caring, wise and empathetic. His name implies he has Jewish heritage and perhaps he understands how it feels to be a fish out of water and to worry about loved ones safety.
Cousin Miranda is a total chip off the old block. She's Grandmother 2.0. She'll be a diva when she's older and no one will hire her. Miriam is cute and funny. She's the only friendly and open child in the Academy. Madame is kind and sympathetic but can't imagine a world where someone doesn't want to dance or perform on stage.
The WWII Britain setting is used as a backdrop but the hardships of wartime are felt keenly and mentioned often. I like how the author just assumes kids will figure it out or know what she means by coupons and you can't get ... without talking down to the kids and explaining it all in narrative. The historical details are just woven right into the story.
July 3, 2008
Theatre Shoes is a charming tale about three children who come to live with their famous, impoverished, eccentric grandmother in London during WWII, and end up attending a performing arts academy.
When I was younger, I totally thought that I was Sorrel, the eldest of the siblings, who feels a great deal of responsibility for her younger brother and sister, but who also has ambitions of being an actress. Sorrel is pretty good, but she has a lot to live up to-- her late mother was a beloved actress who left the stage to marry, and Sorrel's grandmother is still performing in the West End. Everyone else in the family has some connection to showbiz, not least Sorrel's spoiled cousin Miranda, who is an insanely talented actress as well as a bit of a bitch... but who obviously cares so much about her acting that it's really impossible not to have sympathy for her. Sorrel is forced to agree with Alcott's declaration that "talent isn't genius, and no amount of hard work will make it so," but the fact that she still has so much to learn makes her easy to relate to. (Anyway, we can't all be Miranda.)
It's been years since I read Theatre Shoes, but I remember it fondly as a well written, slightly archaic, and surprisingly realistic portrayal of three kids trying to sort out who they are and what they want to be.
When I was younger, I totally thought that I was Sorrel, the eldest of the siblings, who feels a great deal of responsibility for her younger brother and sister, but who also has ambitions of being an actress. Sorrel is pretty good, but she has a lot to live up to-- her late mother was a beloved actress who left the stage to marry, and Sorrel's grandmother is still performing in the West End. Everyone else in the family has some connection to showbiz, not least Sorrel's spoiled cousin Miranda, who is an insanely talented actress as well as a bit of a bitch... but who obviously cares so much about her acting that it's really impossible not to have sympathy for her. Sorrel is forced to agree with Alcott's declaration that "talent isn't genius, and no amount of hard work will make it so," but the fact that she still has so much to learn makes her easy to relate to. (Anyway, we can't all be Miranda.)
It's been years since I read Theatre Shoes, but I remember it fondly as a well written, slightly archaic, and surprisingly realistic portrayal of three kids trying to sort out who they are and what they want to be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2017
So my local library does not have all of the Shoes series books so I went straight from Ballet Shoes to Theater Shoes. I wonder if I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read the two that come between because Theater Shoes just seemed to be so much like Ballet Shoes, just with different kids. So while it is still a good Tween read, I didn't enjoy it as much as Ballet Shoes even though I liked some of the characters better in Theater. (I enjoyed Miriam's dancing character more than Posy for example). Still I'm glad to have read it. On to Skating Shoes now....
June 26, 2016
When their father is lost at sea, Sorrel, Mark, and Holly are forced to move to London to live with their previously unknown actress grandmother. She's determined to have them follow in the family's theatrical footsteps--no matter how much they protest! Do they have the talent to perform on the stage? Will they be able to adjust to this glamorous but difficult family?
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/200...
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/200...
May 12, 2008
I caught the theatre bug early on so this one was a particular favorite of mine. Theatre Shoes includes characters from Ballet Shoes. I always like it when I recognize people from other novels, i feel so important, as though I know someone famous and now have bragging rights.
December 29, 2017
Somewhat of a follow-up to Ballet Shoes as it features Pauline, Petrova, and Posy as grown up recurring characters. Follows the proven formula-orphans and money trouble!
May 14, 2024
This is a precious little book reminiscent of Ballet Shoes (the first of the Shoes books). Both books include three siblings trying to get by during difficult times.
“It’s good to have galoshes by you, there’s no knowing when the road will be wet” (47).
Set during the war, this English family experiences coupons, blackouts, bombings, rations, and more. It was interesting to read about these things and how they affected the day to day life of children and families. “Holly had never been able to grasp how coupons worked. Up till almost Christmas Day she hoped to buy soap for everybody, because she liked to smell it. When at last she realized that no matter what shop you went into they would all want soup coupons” (142).
This is only the second Shoes book I have read, but I hope to read them all! 👞 👟 👠 They are positive and happy! 😊
“It’s good to have galoshes by you, there’s no knowing when the road will be wet” (47).
Set during the war, this English family experiences coupons, blackouts, bombings, rations, and more. It was interesting to read about these things and how they affected the day to day life of children and families. “Holly had never been able to grasp how coupons worked. Up till almost Christmas Day she hoped to buy soap for everybody, because she liked to smell it. When at last she realized that no matter what shop you went into they would all want soup coupons” (142).
This is only the second Shoes book I have read, but I hope to read them all! 👞 👟 👠 They are positive and happy! 😊
February 4, 2018
My Dell Yearling edition is in tatters. As a child, I was barely aware that the Forbes children were living through a war. Now, of course, it's fascinating to think about Streatfeild writing and publishing this during WWII.
With this read, I was finally struck by the fact that the children had been living on the Channel Islands. That's a story right there. And their mother's side shunning them for so long? Another saga. Even when the children do finally end up in London, it's almost unbelievable that their aunts don't see them until Christmas.
But Streatfeild is brisk about all that delicious backstory, because what could be more enticing than a return to Madame Fidolia's? With a Fossil sister catch-up no less?
Mark is probably my favorite Streatfeild boy. And this matter-of-fact line hints at the darker writing Streatfeild put in her adult books:
"Mark...would, as long as he lived in the house, and quite likely always, be angry with Grandmother about his room."
With this read, I was finally struck by the fact that the children had been living on the Channel Islands. That's a story right there. And their mother's side shunning them for so long? Another saga. Even when the children do finally end up in London, it's almost unbelievable that their aunts don't see them until Christmas.
But Streatfeild is brisk about all that delicious backstory, because what could be more enticing than a return to Madame Fidolia's? With a Fossil sister catch-up no less?
Mark is probably my favorite Streatfeild boy. And this matter-of-fact line hints at the darker writing Streatfeild put in her adult books:
"Mark...would, as long as he lived in the house, and quite likely always, be angry with Grandmother about his room."
May 24, 2020
Het voorwoord is wat mij wel geraakt heeft. De auteur had namelijk brieven gekregen van verontruste jonge lezers over de hoofdpersonen van 'Ballet Shoes'. Omdat het oorlog was, ook in de landen waar zij verbleven.
Zij heeft ze dus in dit boek terug laten komen en verteld hoe het nu gaat met deze 3 zusjes.
Maar dit boek gaat over 2 zusjes en een broertje. Die bij het begin van de 2e wereld oorlog naar hun grootvader worden gestuurd en na diens overlijden naar hun grootmoeder van de andere kant van de familie.
Daar gaan ze naar toneelschool en lezen we hoe ze zich staande houden in een totale nieuwe omgeving en met een opleiding die compleet anders is dan dat ze hiervoor gewend waren.
Zij heeft ze dus in dit boek terug laten komen en verteld hoe het nu gaat met deze 3 zusjes.
Maar dit boek gaat over 2 zusjes en een broertje. Die bij het begin van de 2e wereld oorlog naar hun grootvader worden gestuurd en na diens overlijden naar hun grootmoeder van de andere kant van de familie.
Daar gaan ze naar toneelschool en lezen we hoe ze zich staande houden in een totale nieuwe omgeving en met een opleiding die compleet anders is dan dat ze hiervoor gewend waren.
August 6, 2024
Lovely book about 3 children in WWII who have to move to live with their actress grandmother when their father is missing in action and their family circumstances changed. The 3 different characters show different talents and personalities as they begin studying dance and drama, nicely linked to the book Ballet Shoes by reference to the scholarships bequeathed by Pauline, Posy and Petrova who write letters to Sorrel, Mark and Holly. Sweet book.
August 19, 2021
2.5 stars
A lovely read with my little sisters. There were some plots/pacing things that bugged me, and I just didn't love the characters, but I enjoyed the sibling dynamics and it was fun to have a boy join the group. The reappearance of the Fossil sisters, Uncle Mose, and the American soldier in the train were highlights.
A lovely read with my little sisters. There were some plots/pacing things that bugged me, and I just didn't love the characters, but I enjoyed the sibling dynamics and it was fun to have a boy join the group. The reappearance of the Fossil sisters, Uncle Mose, and the American soldier in the train were highlights.
April 28, 2020
This was so wholesome wow :,)
February 20, 2019
WW2 is the background to the fourth Shoe book, originally entitled Curtain Up; the whole "Shoe" thing was an American publisher's idea but for this story it actually works, because it's basically a recycling of Ballet Shoes. The Fossil girls are minor characters in this riches-to-rags story; each one "adopts" one of the three new MCs, though none of them appears beyond letters--which is odd, because at least Petrova is still in England, but old enough now to be collaborating in the war effort with her flying and mechanical skills. I would have thought, however, that besides writing and telegraphing and taking a Deus Ex Machina role at the end of the story, she could at least have turned up to encourage the boy character.
That boy character. I didn't really find him convincing, particularly not compared to Peter in Circus Shoes. He's strangely fey and passive, taking what comes as it comes and not taking anything seriously beyond his own good looks and voice, though he repeatedly says he's not interested in acting/singing as a career. Shoot, he's not interested in anything much. As a boy in wartime, I would have expected him to be more interested in the war itself, soldiers etc, but perhaps Streatfield herself wasn't. I got the feeling that Streatfield added the boy (whose name I cannot for the life of me remember, and I just finished it, so you can see he made no real impression) in order to find a wider readership, as well as not quite so obviously publishing a reworking of her first big hit. Sorrel, the eldest, is afflicted with the typical odd Streatfield character-name (and I felt was probably a projection of the author herself), but little Holly (who started out to be a Posy Fossil wannabe but couldn't quite manage it) is just a very normal child caught up in the actions of adults around her. She makes mistakes, tells lies, and actually almost steals something! She's not terribly bothered about a career of any kind, though it's all fun to her, particularly the dressing-up.
The adult characters were more convincing because more varied, and I got the impression Streatfield may have been poking sly fun at actors she knew IRL. I did get tired of the servant/dresser with her constant rhyming slang, but it was an OK bedtime read. ETA: I'll tell you how forgettable this book is. I read it two years ago, and when I picked it up again, it didn't seem familiar until they finally get to Grandmother's house. And then, for a chapter or two, only vaguely.
That boy character. I didn't really find him convincing, particularly not compared to Peter in Circus Shoes. He's strangely fey and passive, taking what comes as it comes and not taking anything seriously beyond his own good looks and voice, though he repeatedly says he's not interested in acting/singing as a career. Shoot, he's not interested in anything much. As a boy in wartime, I would have expected him to be more interested in the war itself, soldiers etc, but perhaps Streatfield herself wasn't. I got the feeling that Streatfield added the boy (whose name I cannot for the life of me remember, and I just finished it, so you can see he made no real impression) in order to find a wider readership, as well as not quite so obviously publishing a reworking of her first big hit. Sorrel, the eldest, is afflicted with the typical odd Streatfield character-name (and I felt was probably a projection of the author herself), but little Holly (who started out to be a Posy Fossil wannabe but couldn't quite manage it) is just a very normal child caught up in the actions of adults around her. She makes mistakes, tells lies, and actually almost steals something! She's not terribly bothered about a career of any kind, though it's all fun to her, particularly the dressing-up.
The adult characters were more convincing because more varied, and I got the impression Streatfield may have been poking sly fun at actors she knew IRL. I did get tired of the servant/dresser with her constant rhyming slang, but it was an OK bedtime read. ETA: I'll tell you how forgettable this book is. I read it two years ago, and when I picked it up again, it didn't seem familiar until they finally get to Grandmother's house. And then, for a chapter or two, only vaguely.
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