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poachedeggs's review against another edition
4.0
A really cute book about three orphan girls who were adopted by a fossil collector, 'Gum', and who are sent to a ballet/acting school to start earning their keep and help their guardian (Gum's niece, 'Garnie') make ends meet.
I would really have enjoyed this as a child - there is a bit of a Mary Poppins feel to it somehow. As an adult, I find myself enjoying the parts where Pauline lets fame and popularity get to her head, and where Petrova keeps running off to fix cars. Posy's single-minded passion for ballet is also fascinating - very much 'a portrait of the artist(e) as a young woman'.
I would really have enjoyed this as a child - there is a bit of a Mary Poppins feel to it somehow. As an adult, I find myself enjoying the parts where Pauline lets fame and popularity get to her head, and where Petrova keeps running off to fix cars. Posy's single-minded passion for ballet is also fascinating - very much 'a portrait of the artist(e) as a young woman'.
zusy's review against another edition
5.0
Review by 5yo (I completely agree with the star rating--wholesome, lovely, mentoring, sibling relationships, growing up, following your mission)
I liked the part where she changed her mind because she really actually didn't wanted to be the prince of Wales. (Actually her specific words were "the prince of all whales". Great time for a discussion on Wales vs Whales.) The funniest part was "And I! And I! And I!" It makes me giggle and laugh. (Truth! It made her laugh and laugh and laugh.)
I liked the part where she changed her mind because she really actually didn't wanted to be the prince of Wales. (Actually her specific words were "the prince of all whales". Great time for a discussion on Wales vs Whales.) The funniest part was "And I! And I! And I!" It makes me giggle and laugh. (Truth! It made her laugh and laugh and laugh.)
elle4352's review against another edition
5.0
The Ballet Shoes is an adorable and endearing tale of three young girls sure to warm the hearts of readers young and old.
Pauline, Petrova and Posy are all three young girls made to be sisters when their guardian, GUM, brings all of them home under strange circumstances. The book follows the girls from infancy to their early to late teen lives as GUM is away on some unspoken voyage and the girls are raised their guardian Sylvia her governess Nana, and eventually the house boarders that come to live with them when they are financially pressed. The girls eventually begin to take dance lessons at a dance academy nearby and the story is generally about each girl finding her passion in life
The story is told in an episode-like way. Little snippets of their experiences performing as well as memorable moments in their lives move our story along and, personally, I love books that take this approach to story telling. Fans of books like A Little Princess, Little House on the Prairie, and the Penderwicks will love to watch the girls succeed on the stage, to watch their falls, their trials, and their triumphs.
My only grievance with the novel is Posy. While the two older girls are rather selfless and embody a spirit of determination, drive and compassion, Posy is self absorbed and rather oblivious to anyone’s wants, desires, or feelings other then her own. By the end of the book I found myself warmed by the older girls prospects in life, but truly Posy’s character experiences no growth and no sense of remorse for being unfeeling, thus making her seem very cold and putting a rather unpleasant damper on what is otherwise is a whimsical, vintage fairytale
Pauline, Petrova and Posy are all three young girls made to be sisters when their guardian, GUM, brings all of them home under strange circumstances. The book follows the girls from infancy to their early to late teen lives as GUM is away on some unspoken voyage and the girls are raised their guardian Sylvia her governess Nana, and eventually the house boarders that come to live with them when they are financially pressed. The girls eventually begin to take dance lessons at a dance academy nearby and the story is generally about each girl finding her passion in life
The story is told in an episode-like way. Little snippets of their experiences performing as well as memorable moments in their lives move our story along and, personally, I love books that take this approach to story telling. Fans of books like A Little Princess, Little House on the Prairie, and the Penderwicks will love to watch the girls succeed on the stage, to watch their falls, their trials, and their triumphs.
My only grievance with the novel is Posy. While the two older girls are rather selfless and embody a spirit of determination, drive and compassion, Posy is self absorbed and rather oblivious to anyone’s wants, desires, or feelings other then her own. By the end of the book I found myself warmed by the older girls prospects in life, but truly Posy’s character experiences no growth and no sense of remorse for being unfeeling, thus making her seem very cold and putting a rather unpleasant damper on what is otherwise is a whimsical, vintage fairytale
llereads's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s a different type of book than I normally read, but it was such a cute thing with the three little sisters and seeing their development and all that hehe
rosekk's review against another edition
3.0
I have no great love for the quaint style children's books of this era always seem to have. On the other hand, I think this book executed it better than most. In spite of having many of the hallmarks common to children's fiction which I don't get one with (a fairly saccharine depiction of events, jolly characters who are nice to the point of straining suspension of disbelief e.t.c.) the book was enjoyable. The detail given to their lives, the distinct (if slightly overdone) personalities of the characters, the fairly fast pace of events made it a decent read even though it wouldn't normally be my kind of book.
sc104906's review against another edition
4.0
3 orphans are taken in by a retired archeologist in interesting ways. This book describes their unusual path of growing up. It speaks to how they all learned how to dance and become famous in their own right. I liked it, the novel was cute and the characters were quirky and likable.
jtlars7's review against another edition
4.0
An old favorite I hadn’t read in years. Still good. I look forward to reading it with S.