Ballet Shoes (A Puffin Book)

Product Information

The story of three young orphans - Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil - who are ostensibly adopted by Gum (Great Uncle Matthew), but are really raised by Garnie (Great Uncle Matthew's niece, Sylvia) and their nurse, Nana, Ballet Shoes has been described as one of the earliest "career novels" for children, as it follows its young heroines as they seek to make a living in the arts. Pauline, the eldest, begins working as an actress at age twelve (special license required), and Petrova soon follows. Posy, a dancing prodigy and the youngest, studies with Madame Fidolia, the headmistress of The Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, where all three are pupils. As each of the three struggles to find her calling - Pauline is a talented actress, Petrova quietly longs to escape from the arts, and become a mechanic and aviatrix, and Posy is a born dancer - they also seek to help Garnie with the household finances, and to live up to the secret vow that they regularly renew, to get the Fossil name into history. First published in the 1930s, this classic story of three very different girls who work hard to master their talents has captivated children's imaginations - particularly girls' - for decades. Pauline, Petrova and Pauline are brilliantly characterised and always believable: young readers will love following the ups and downs of this warm-hearted family tale.

Mary 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 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. Ballet Shoes is a 2007 British television film, adapted by Heidi Thomas from Noel Streatfeild's 1936 novel Ballet Shoes. [1] It was produced by Granada Productions (formerly Granada Television) and premiered on BBC One on 26 December 2007. It is directed by Sandra Goldbacher.Both Victoria Wood and Thomas described Streatfeild's novel as a book they have long treasured. [6] Producer Piers Wenger, who said the film has a "strong rites-of-passage story", related the film to the current "cult of the TV talent shows", and said that it "is also a great antidote to the notion of fame for fame's sake". [6] Broadcast and commercial releases [ edit ] Romance Related - 4 Incidents: Double-breasted in reference to a uniform. Not sexual. A girl comes into the room "with nothing on but a bathmat." It is noted that a girl has a rather "big behind." "Posy, even with nothing on, and dripping with water, was quite amazingly like Theo."

The huge terraced house is run by five servants. There is Cook and the house maid, Clara; Nana, once Sylvia’s nurse and now looking after Pauline, Petrova and Posy; and two more unnamed maids. Even accounting for the fact that female wages were a lot cheaper than male wages, the cost of a cook, a nurse and three maids was not nothing. As well as their wages, they also got their board and lodging. However much Sylvia scrimps and saves, the money Gum has left for their support eventually runs out. Ballet Shoes was a commended runner up for the inaugural Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best British children's book by a British subject. [3] [a] (Streatfeild would win the award later for another book. [4] [b])The Shoes books are mentioned in the film You've Got Mail by Meg Ryan's character, a bookstore owner. When the family take in an engaging collection of lodgers to help make ends meet, one of them suggests that the three girls should attend Madame Fidolia's Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, so that they can learn to support themselves and earn money on the stage. After some excitement, intense competition, occasional disappointments and some hard lessons, Posy proves herself a gifted ballet dancer and Pauline discovers a talent for acting, but Petrova - who loathes dancing and acting - remains true to her passion for mechanics and her dream to become a pilot. A girl "sulked." She also decides that she will not be "nice and helpful, and run round fetching and carrying for other people's rehearsals...". A girl states that she is not going to come to class anymore. In the next paragraph, this makes the teacher "angry" and it says that the teacher hates "disobedience." A girl becomes very "conceited." A girl accuses others of being "hateful" and slams the door on them. It is stated that a character is becoming more "conceited every day" and expects people to work for her. A girl says that part of her ballet costume is "stupid." The stage manager responds, "Stupid or not, you're to wear it." A student is angry and "completely lost her temper."