Customer Reviews

Belles on Their Toes

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this book in my cousin's room and did not emerge until, bleary-eyed, I had read it cover to cover. Since then, I've re-read it dozens of times, along with the prequel, Cheaper by the Dozen. Gilbreth family fans will want to know Frank Gilbreth wrote another, adult book, about his father. Also, the University of Texas at Austin has the Gilbreth motion-study film collection.

I read Belles on Their Toes for the first time during one weekend when my younger sister was dying. This book gave me some relief during a time when there was nothing but pain in my house. In the years since, I have reread Belles on Their Toes a number of times, and it still makes me feel happy! I would recommend this book to anyone who just wants to read something for the simple joy of it!

If you enjoyed Cheaper by the Dozen, reading this book is a must! After Father Gilbreth dies, Mother is left to carry on with her dozen children. The hilarious (and sometimes ridiculous) escapades in this book range from Tom, (the cook) having trouble dosing the Gilbreth clan with castor oil, to first dates and general instruction for the girls by their brothers on how NOT to get kissed! This book is HILARIOUS! Trust me - this is one you DON'T want to miss! Settle yourself down in your favorite easy chair and laugh yourself silly with the amusing escapades of the Gilbreth Clan!

The raucous riotous ribald sequel to the ever-beloved "Cheaper by the Dozen". Following up the eleven children's wild exploits, the book continues the Gilbreths adventures after their patriarch, Frank Gilbreth, dies of a heart attack. Suddenly Mrs. Gilbreth is off to take his place, speaking across the country and the kids are looking out for themselves. Admittedly, this book isn't as strong as its predecessor. While it does tell some mighty amusing stories (threatening to roast a peeping tom comes to mind), it peters out at the end. But there's a lot to love here. In what other children's book are you going to find a mother trying to find reasons NOT to smoke and failing? As she lists the reasons not to smoke she says, "It's bad for your health. That's open to debate. Not so bad as overeating, or not getting enough sleep". Oh Mrs. Gilbreth. If only you had known. And this little instance is well coupled with the family's handyman bottling his own moonshine in their basement. Now, admittedly I'm picking out the tiny sections here and there in this book which, by today's modern standards, make for pretty risky kiddie lit. My point is, this is an interesting book. Though dated a little here and there, it still tells the story of a woman of extraordinary strength and resiliency. One who walked where few others dared in a male dominated industry. Say what you will of this story, kids reading it will not get bored. There are enough practical jokes and pranks to fill its ample 237 pages. Pick it up, and regret will not enter your mind for having done so.

I loved this book. I read it after I had read "Cheaper By the Dozen" which is a book of the events before the events in this book. This is like a sequal to that. I loved them both and I wish there were a ton more books about this family. I think it would be a dream come true to meet some of them. It is so neat to read a whole families life story and it is even more fun to have such an interesting family as the Gilbreths. Sometimes I don't know how they lived. They are really neat people and they inspired me in the weirdest ways. I would recomend this book to everyone of any age. But first you should read "Cheaper By the Dozen" it is up to you but it is more fun to read it in order. I think you should give at least one of these books a try, they are great I think and they would make great gifts if you need a good gift, also. I hope you take my advise and read these books.

I can't believe I didn't know this book existed till very recently; I would have bought and read it a whole lot sooner had I known, having read the first book about five or six times. It's in the same funny spirit as the first, though the focus has shifted from the antics of the entire family to the mother's struggle to take care of her eleven children after her husband died. And the funny moments aren't as frequent as in the first book, since the children are older. It also seems like the younger children got the short end of the stick--less time was given to writing about their own humourous childhood anecdotes and stories, since time passes really quickly after Anne gets married. The only other thing in this book I wasn't keen on was how some of it was dated. Some of it, like Mrs. Gilbreth trying to find reasons for the oldest two not to smoke and then instantly retracting each reason, or the youngest boys teaching Jane how to be popular and get dates by not being her true self, is to be expected, given not only the era in which that happened but also when the book was published, but there are a few slang words and references that the modern reader might not understand or find as funny or relevant as someone who was a contemporary of the family might. We all know what a sheik is, but who uses the term "wet smack" anymore, for example? Still, overall it's a sweet fun way to wrap up the story of this funny family.

For those of you who have read Cheaper by the Dozen, you know that the antics of the Gilbreth children make even the saddest person attempt to hide their smiles. Well, Belles on Their Toes continues the legacy of laughs and just getting through life.

This book begins three days after Cheaper by the Dozen leaves off, three days after the death of Dad. Belles on Their Toes talks about the struggles of a family trying to get back on their feet after such a terrible loss. Mother has to go away to Europe for 5 weeks, to make a name for herself, so Anne, the oldest of the children at age 18, is left in charge. Through chicken pox and hte cook being arrested, the family manages to stick together.

In an inspiring story about self sacrifices, and stepping up to fill the shoes of Dad, the Gilbreths pinch pennies to keep the family from splitting up. A rare mix of inspiration and humor, Belles on Their Toes is a must-read for everyone!

This book follows the Gilbreth family's adventures from just after their dad has died until all the children are grown and married. The mishaps are humorous, the children are realistic and funny, and the plot is inspiring. However, this book lacks the one element that made its predecessor so incredibly wonderful: Dad.

Dad was the one who had the hilarious techniques, the atrocious standards, the crazy ideas. He was the one with the impossible ideals, superb gifts, and vibrant personality. Dad was the one who insisted that his home become a model of motion study and a picture of order. Incidently, Dad was the one that gave Cheaper by the Dozen its laughs, its suspense, and its plotline. Without him, Belles on Their Toes is funny, but feels lifeless because there is no Dad there to knock someone's elbow on the table.

I did enjoy reading this book and some parts had me laughing out loud. But if you're looking for another gripping story like Cheaper and the Dozen, look elsewhere. The main conflict of this book is Mother's struggle to send all of her children through college. It is a story about learning, maturing, and accomplishing goals.

I found this book a couple years after I came across the first one as a teenager. It's a good continuation of the story and lets you know what happened, and how this amazing family all chipped in to make things work after their terrible tragedy.

This book continues the true story of the Gilbreth children or the sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen.
The story continues after the father died. The mother is now the soul supporter of her family. There is a graet saying in the book that says,"Mother wasn't afraid anymore because the worst had happend."
The mother carried on her husbands works. She held conferences and taught the scince of time saving. She became a very strong woman.
It was a long hard haul but ahe successfully continued her husbands work. The children successfully ran the household.
This story is humorus and very touching. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.