Ballet Shoes

Where it came from
Ballet Shoes: A Story of Three Children on the Stage is a classic children’s novel by British author Noel Streatfeild, first published in 1936. It was her first book written for children and was illustrated by her sister, Ruth Gervis. The tale emerged from Streatfeild’s own love of theatre — she had trained as an actress and spent years on the stage herself before turning her pen to children’s stories. 

Where it went next
The book was an immediate success – copies were rationed and even Streatfeild was only allowed to buy two. It has never been out of print since 1936 and was a runner‑up for the inaugural Carnegie Medal for British children’s books. Over the decades it inspired two BBC television adaptations (one in 1975 and another in 2007, starring Emma Watson, Yasmin Paige and Lucy Boynton). In recent years it also found new life on stage with a theatre adaptation, bringing the Fossil sisters’ dreams to life in live performance. 

Associated stories
Between 1936 and 1979, Noel Streatfeild wrote thirty eight books for children. The Fossil sisters reappear as adults in The Painted Garden (1949), the story of a family who move to America where one finds herself unexpectedly starring in a film. The Growing Summer and Thursday’s Child were both made into popular children’s BBC serials in the 1970s. Although only her second book Tennis Shoes included the word ‘shoes’, some of her books have since been renamed with ‘shoes’ titles to link them to Ballet Shoes. So Party Frock is now Party Shoes, The Circus is Coming became Circus Shoes and Curtain Up became Theatre Shoes. Her work remains a staple of classic children’s literature, loved across generations for its warmth, wit and larger‑than‑life characters.