Theater Shoes (Paperback)

by Noel Streatfeild (Author) "It is very difficult to look as if you minded the death of a grandfather who, though you may have spent your holidays in his..." (more)
Key Phrases: rainbow silk, stage school, Miss Jay, Aunt Lindsey, Uncle Francis (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6–In Noel Streatfeilds 1945 novel (Random, pap. 1994), a title in the Shoes series, siblings Sorrel, Mark, and Holly are considered to be orphans after their father, who is fighting in World War II, is declared missing in action. When their caretaker dies, the children are sent to London to live with their actress grandmother. They are forced to enroll in the Childrens Academy of Dancing and Stage Training with their tuition paid for by the now grown orphan sisters from Ballet Shoes (Random House, 1937). At first, the children are very unhappy at the Academy and ready to run away until they begin to discover that each has a hidden talent. Sorrel has a knack for drama, Mark sings, and Holly dances. Soon the children come to love life at the Academy. Narrator Elizabeth Sastre does a marvelous job of capturing the gentle innocence of the youngsters during such a tumultuous time in history. Listeners do not have to be familiar with the other titles in the series to thoroughly enjoy this story. A pleasant addition to collections for elementary school children.–Veronica Schwartz, Des Plaines Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
Three orphans are forced to enter a theater school by their grandmother, a famous actress. Unable to pay the tuition, they are given scholarships from the now-grown orphans from Ballet Shoes. Will they be able to live up to their patrons’ legacies? The children are ready to run away–until they discover their hidden talents. Originally published in 1945.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (November 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679854347
• ISBN-13: 978-0679854340
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,221 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #8 in	Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Performing Arts > Fiction
  #30 in	Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Family Life > Orphans & Foster Homes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Did You've Got Mail inspire some people to find SHOE books, May 23, 2000

By A Customer

Do you remember when the Meg Ryan character walked into TomHanks' FOX BOOKS store and the customer asked about the"Shoes" books, and a monologue about the wonders of Noel Streatfeild's "Shoes" books ensued, touching on Dancing Shoes, Ballet Shoes, and Skating Shoes, which is absolutely wonderful? That scene made me break down crying, because I had never heard anyone other than myself talk about these terrific books, and the fact that it is tragic that they are mostly out of print and hard to find. This book is a wonderful story of working hard for a goal, and accomplishing it, or at least getting on the road to achieving a reasonable, yet magical, goal. If you want a great book for your favorite elementary school girl, buy this one - then buy the other "Shoes" books (and get a copy of Tennis Shoes for your favorite boy too!)

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful companion to Ballet Shoes; don't miss it., September 18, 1999

By A Customer

Sorrel, Holly, and Mark Forbes, whose father has disappeared in World War II, come from their grandfather's vicarage to live with their previously unknown grandmother, the great actress Margaret Shaw, in wartime London, and attend Madame Fidolia's school. They are "adopted" by the Fossil sisters (Pauline and Posy in California, Petrova flying in the war), and adjust to their talented cousins and new family. A vivid look at theatre life and London; delightful characters; a book that will enchant young and old. When will all this series be reprinted?

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming, simple fare, December 1, 1997

By	Marjorie James (Kensington, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I admit that I have never quite outgrown children's books, of which this is definitely one. It is set in England in 1942-43 and is about three children named Sorrel, Mark and Holly. Their mother is dead and their father missing when the grandfather that they were living with dies. They are sent to live with their maternal grandmother, about whom they know nothing because their mother eloped and was never forgiven. It turns out that their mother was a member of a very famous stage family; so they are sent to the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training so that they can carry on the tradition. This book serves as a sequel to Ballet Shoes but it manages to be more successful than most sequels in that it doesn't follow the original characters' lives after they have resolved their primary drama, but it keeps them as peripheral to the main plot. This way, the reader knows what happened to them but is not disappointed by the fact that they have become so much less interesting. There really isn't too much commentary that can be given on this book. It's very nice if you like this sort of thing but probably be very annoying if you don't