Ballet Shoes

Description

A beautiful hardback gift edition of the beloved children's book BALLET SHOES, featuring the classic illustrations by Ruth Gervis. Elegantly designed with a cloth-bound cover and ribbon embellishment, this is the perfect present for young dancers and readers, or for any lover of classics. BALLET SHOES is the story of Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil, three very different girls who were each adopted as an orphaned baby by the eccentric explorer, Gum. After leaving the children in the care of his niece Sylvia in London, he returns to exploring, promising to come back in five years' time. At first, the girls lead privileged and sheltered lives in the comfort of wealth. But after five years go by and Gum fails to return, Sylvia's money starts to run out. Things begin to look bleak for Sylvia and the Fossil girls until they hit on an inspired idea: Pauline, Petrova and Posy will take to the stage. But it's not long before the Fossils learn that there's more to being a star than they thought. Originally published in 1936, Noel Streatfeild's BALLET SHOES is a story of family, friendship and growing up that stands the test of time and is loved by generations.

Noel Streatfeild (1895-1986) was born in Amberley, Sussex. Her father was Bishop of Lewes and her great-grandmother was the prison reformer, Elizabeth Fry. She was a mischievous child, often in trouble at home. While growing up, she and her sisters put on plays for parish causes and, after making munitions during World War I, she trained as an actress. Noel Streatfeild started by writing books for adults. Then in 1931 she published her first children's book. Her best-loved novel, BALLET SHOES, was published in 1936. When World War II broke out, she worked in canteens for the armed forces and for those injured by bombs. She wrote over 80 books in her lifetime and lived in London till her death.