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Noel Streatfeild’s Holiday Stories
A NEW COLLECTION OF HOLIDAY STORIES BY THE BELOVED AUTHOR OF BALLET SHOES. PERFECT READING FOR LONG SUMMER DAYS.
In this captivating new collection, there are stories for every reader to unforgettable holidays and unlikely friendships, crime-solving adventures and dancers in the spotlight for the very first time. Originally written for annuals and magazines from the 1930s-70s, these newly discovered stories will be treasured by Noel Streatfeild fans of all ages. Featuring beautiful illustrations by PETER BAILEY Stories The Plain One
Devon Mettle
Chicken for Supper
Flag's Circus
The Secret
Coralie
Ordinary Me
Cows Eat Flowers
Andrew's Trout
The Old Fool
Let's Go Coaching
Howard
The Quiet Holiday
Roberta
Green Silk
In this captivating new collection, there are stories for every reader to unforgettable holidays and unlikely friendships, crime-solving adventures and dancers in the spotlight for the very first time. Originally written for annuals and magazines from the 1930s-70s, these newly discovered stories will be treasured by Noel Streatfeild fans of all ages. Featuring beautiful illustrations by PETER BAILEY Stories The Plain One
Devon Mettle
Chicken for Supper
Flag's Circus
The Secret
Coralie
Ordinary Me
Cows Eat Flowers
Andrew's Trout
The Old Fool
Let's Go Coaching
Howard
The Quiet Holiday
Roberta
Green Silk
256 pages, Hardcover
Published June 20, 2019
4 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Noel Streatfeild
163 books613 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 20, 2022
A wonderful collection of family stories by Noel Streatfeild! Although only a few take place in the summertime and some stories were better than others, I enjoyed them all. The author makes it easy to connect to the varied characters and they’re all likeable in some way. Reading this collection truly brought a smile to my face. I would recommend this book to any person (child or adult) who finds pleasure in reading about families, foibles and the everyday activities of life.
September 17, 2022
I have always been a big fan of Noel Streatfeild so was delighted to see these stories were back in print and had to buy them with my birthday tokens.
This is a lovely collection which I dipped in to over the last fortnight and most of them are thankfully not extracts from her novels. Streatfeild is brilliant at getting inside the minds of children. Especially those who don't conform. I particularly enjoyed Howard, The Old fool, Roberta and Green Silk.
This is a lovely collection which I dipped in to over the last fortnight and most of them are thankfully not extracts from her novels. Streatfeild is brilliant at getting inside the minds of children. Especially those who don't conform. I particularly enjoyed Howard, The Old fool, Roberta and Green Silk.
January 29, 2023
I have enjoyed Streatfeild's books over the years, and have read some of them several times. So, when I saw a couple of collections of her short stories I couldn't resist getting them.
The stories are carefully crafted, and have many coincidental happy events. I must say that some of the stories are actually a bit saccharine, but that is also part of the charm and delight of of Streatfeild's style.
If you are a fan of her books you will enjoy this little story collection.
The stories are carefully crafted, and have many coincidental happy events. I must say that some of the stories are actually a bit saccharine, but that is also part of the charm and delight of of Streatfeild's style.
If you are a fan of her books you will enjoy this little story collection.
May 27, 2023
I enjoyed spending time with Noel Streatfeild in these short bursts of new (to me) yet very familiar characters and settings. Likeable and sensible children doing the right thing and often showing bravery in small daily challenges and one rather dangerous one! Perfect reading for a rainy afternoon.
I came across the book by accident and was delighted to find it.
I came across the book by accident and was delighted to find it.
January 18, 2020
There is a reason these stories don't have a wider circulation While these are interesting to a person who wants to read all the author's works, they are not the best of Ms Streatfeild's stories.
October 9, 2020
Not a short story writer.
Sorry, but much as I love Streatfield, she doesn’t have the knack. The stories are just limp, very predictable and a bit twee.
Sorry, but much as I love Streatfield, she doesn’t have the knack. The stories are just limp, very predictable and a bit twee.
May 30, 2021
Good fun!
December 15, 2021
4.5 stars
October 19, 2024
A nice collection, odd but nice to have cameos from Pauline Fossil and Harriet & Lalla.
November 24, 2019
Very nice book
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews