A review by verityw
Ballet Shoes for Anna by Noel Streatfeild

3.0

I was suprised how up-to-the-moment-it-was-written this was. It's a very late career Streatfeild and considering how old she was, this actually feels like she was still in touch with what was going on at the time it was written - unlike some other of her contemporaries. There's common themes and experiences with her earlier books, but life has moved on - the ballet of Ballet Shoes is here, but Streatfeild knows it's not the 1930s any more and things have changed - I was impressed.

Beyond that it's a nice culture clash story about three children who are orphaned and have to try and adjust to living in England after having lived a nomadic life in a caravan travelling around Europe with their parents. It could have used a bit more of S'William and a bit more resolution at the end, but other wise, it's a really good children's story.