Noel Streatfeild

[Susie]

Have you read Thursday's child? It's was such a teary book. I think it ended happily though.
Which book has a Lydia in it? She thought so much of herself, and then went and had an accident.

I Have not read them in years, but I remember after reading them I felt I must go Ice skating, take ballet, musical comedy, drama lessons, etc. All of which never took place except for going ice skating but not the lessons.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Lydia appears in the four "Gemma" books, Susie (Gemma, Gemma and Sisters, Gemma Alone and Goodbye Gemma.) I'm just in the middle of re-reading that series and I'm quite enjoying it. It's in the second book, Gemma and Sisters, that Lydia has an accident which threatens to destroy her dreams of a dancing career.

I've re-read a number of Noel Streatfeild books over the last few months and it's amazing how many of them feature a promising young dancer whose family can no longer afford to pay for her dancing lessons. Invariably the girl takes matters into her own hands and turns up unannounced to dance in front of a first-class dancing teacher (usually though not always an elderly "Madame.") Madame exclaims something along the lines of, "Incredible! You're the little genius I've waited for all my life!" and immediately arranges to give the child free individual tuition. In some cases, Madame also pays for the child to attend a private theatre school or even invites an orphaned "little genius" to live with her!

Okay, so I'm poking fun a little, but I still enjoy the stories! The "Gemma" books are set in the late 1960s and there are some interesting observations about the comprehensive school system (Streatfeild seems to have felt that very large schools were impersonal and failed to cater for pupils' individual needs.) The Robinson family have only just acquired a television, which the children are only allowed to watch at the weekend so it doesn't interfere with homework and other activities. When Gemma's mother buys her a coat of real beaver fur, no one expresses anything but envy. Gemma, an actress, gets to play the part of Rebecca in a TV adaptation of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and the producer warns her "not to pay too much attention to the book; they had altered the story a good deal, and the result was a smasher." That reminded me of some of the discussions we've had on here about TV versions of books, and made me wonder what Noel Streatfeild thought of the TV adaptations that were done of some of her books during her lifetime.

I read Thursday's Child and the sequel (Far to Go) as a child but I can't remember much about them now.

Anita

[Susie]

Yes it's all coming back to me now, thanks Anita. I loved the Gemma books. You have summed Streatfeild exactly.
What age did they have to get a licence to join the theatre? A matron always accompanied them to get it, and there they had to be tested in Math or English?
The part which is very true to life as when, whoever gets the lead in the school play, it goes to their head. Same as in her books.
Are there any on dvd besides for Ballet shoes?

[Anita Bensoussane]

What age did they have to get a licence to join the theatre?

Children used to apply for a licence at the age of twelve. They weren't allowed to perform professionally on the stage before that age. I don't know whether that's still the case today? I'm sure I've heard of children younger than that appearing in musicals etc.

Are there any on dvd besides for Ballet shoes?

I don't know of any. There have been two television adaptations of Ballet Shoes (1975 and 2007.) The former was released on video but not DVD as far as I know. I believe there was also a television version of The Growing Summer which, like the earlier version of Ballet Shoes, was filmed during Noel Streatfeild's lifetime. Does anyone know whether any other Streatfeild books have ever been televised?

Anita

[chloe1]

I just finished reading this fabulous book which I hadnt read since I was about 12. I have to say I adore it. I love the last line when she makes you wonder which of the 3 girls you would most want to be.

Up there with A little Princess as one of my favourite girls stories of all time

Has anyone else read it?

Edit: I've moved your post to the "Noel Streatfeild" thread, Chloe, as it looks more at home there.
- Anita

[Aurélien]

If you mean Noel Streatfield's book, I read it once as a kid *I was desperate for something to read, okay?* but frilly pink tutus and pointing my toes were never exactly my thing.

‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’

[Anita Bensoussane]

I've read Ballet Shoes several times, both as a child and as an adult. I agree that it's a lovely read, Chloe - a "realistic" story but with fairytale elements - and I enjoy being swept into what is quite a regimented yet cosy old-fashioned childhood world, with nursery teas, organised walks and study, dancing lessons, auditions, etc.

Anita

[Fiona1986]

As I'm reading Party Frock at the moment I decided to have another look on eBay to see what other Noel Streatfeild books were available. Which led me to Wikipedia for a proper list and - as mentioned earlier in the thread - I noticed several books have been reissued with new shoe related titles.

Are the contents of the new books changed? I'm sure with Blyton's Riddlers series the characters are changed so that the same kids are in each book, and other details are changed to fit this. I assume they've had other updates too.

Can the same be said of the Shoes series?

[Lawrie]

I love Noel Streatfeild. Sure, she can get a bit samey and formulaic in both theme and character - one too many quirky little brothers and thickly-accented Slavic dance teachers perhaps!- but so can many authors over a period of time,especially when they write well into old age. I wasn't so keen on her more recent books like When the Siren Wailed, or Ballet Shoes for Anna, but I find the charm of Ballet Shoes, with its mix of the fairy-tale and the mundane, irresistable. Though it's about ballet, it isn't particularly pink and frilly - Petrova really wouldn't stand for that! The illustrations, by Noel's sister Ruth, are simple line drawings but very effective. Like Anita I love all the period domestic details. Other favourites are Tennis Shoes,The Circus is Coming and A Vicarage Family - the first part of her autobiography. And I loved the Gemma books, though I was rather confused by Gemma And Sisters where Christmas seems to happen twice in the space of two or three chapters!

[Enikyoga]

Though Noel Streatfield is renowned for having written a more realistic form of circus life in The Circus Is Coming, I still felt Enid Blyton's Circus books were far more exciting.
Stephen I.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, Blyton's circus books are generally more dramatic (except perhaps the rather more sombre and thoughtful Come to the Circus!) while Streatfeild's The Circus is Coming benefits from Streatfeild having spent months with the Bertram Mills Circus, so it's full of accurate detail. I like both authors' circus stories equally, enjoying their different qualities.

I wasn't so keen on her more recent books like When the Siren Wailed, or Ballet Shoes for Anna...

As a child I found When the Siren Wailed quite interesting because of what it taught me about the Second World War, but there wasn't much of a story to it. Ballet Shoes for Anna starts off in a promising way but the characters never really come to life and the uncle is decidedly odd. I get the impression that Noel Streatfeild was uncomfortable moving with the times and writing about more modern characters and situations, so some of her later books seem too contrived. The Gemma series is good though.

Other favourites are Tennis Shoes,The Circus is Coming and A Vicarage Family - the first part of her autobiography. And I loved the Gemma books...

Those are some of my favourites too (I've read all three volumes of her autobiography), though Apple Bough comes first for me.

[Lawrie]

I'm sorry I don't know how to quote yet, but I agree that Blyton's circus stories are more exciting. That said The Circus is Coming is my favourite circus book - it's not at all circussy but I love the chapter where Santa's violin arrives and she has to play Art thou weary, art thou languid very badly in front of everyone! And I agree that Streatfeild is a little uneasy with more modern settings, and, like many another children's author of her generation, really can't cope very well with the working class. I loved Apple Bough too, but I don't have a copy. How appalling! Must away to ebay at once!

[Fiona1986]

Just hit the quote button at the top of a person's post. It'll put their whole post into a reply box with the required coding. If you're only referring to a line or two by that person you can delete the excess text as long as you leave the coding at the start and end - the bits in the square brackets.

[Lawrie]

Just hit the quote button at the top of a person's post..

Thank you Fiona - I may have done it!
I have

[Fiona1986]

Perfectly done!