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piarat's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
katrina_ingram's review against another edition
3.0
I think I would have really enjoyed these stories as a child but i’m just too old for them now. Great messages for children and written in a way that will resonate with them
hepalmer's review against another edition
3.0
Childhood re-read, this was called "White Boots" in my childhood edition!
lory_enterenchanted's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
3.5
Reread of a childhood favorite. I love how the serious, dedicated girl gets rewarded in the end, but the one who just wants to put on a show is also acknowledged as having a right to her own way. The point is to be supported to do what you are gifted to do, and not try to be something you're not because of someone else's desires. Also, that nobody can be happy without a loving circle of other humans who accept them as they are.
I found the ending a bit truncated and rushed. There could have been more development, especially of Harriet's progress in figure skating. She was just found to have promise and then abruptly became a future champion. Her challenge is not to let her hero-worship of Lalla hold her back, but I'd like to see her come more into her own with her own more inner struggles. A sequel in which the two girls are not just defined in relation to each other would have been lovely.
I found the ending a bit truncated and rushed. There could have been more development, especially of Harriet's progress in figure skating. She was just found to have promise and then abruptly became a future champion. Her challenge is not to let her hero-worship of Lalla hold her back, but I'd like to see her come more into her own with her own more inner struggles. A sequel in which the two girls are not just defined in relation to each other would have been lovely.
amibunk's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely adore Noel Streatfeild. Her writing is simplistic but extremely charming. I love her old-fashioned stories about children discovering who they are while they develop artistic abilities and talents. Whenever I read Streatfeild's novels, I immediately want to be a ten year old girl who goes to a London school for dancing, music, and theater in the 1940's, she's that powerful as a writer.
"Skating Shoes" is a slightly different slant from her other 'shoe' books, but I enjoyed it. While the characters in this book weren't quite as real to me as some of her others, the story was compelling and unique. A very nice book overall.
"Skating Shoes" is a slightly different slant from her other 'shoe' books, but I enjoyed it. While the characters in this book weren't quite as real to me as some of her others, the story was compelling and unique. A very nice book overall.
zarco_j's review against another edition
4.0
This was a childhood favorite, I wanted to be Harriet so badly when I was 10. Then I read Lord of the Rings and wanted to be a Rider of Rohan when I grew up. Sadly neither happened, and don't tell anyone but I've never been ice skating that I can remember.
My mom bought me this when I was about 9, in response to my father gifting me Dracula, Lord of the Rings and Jane Eyre. She thought she could get me to read proper children's books instead of the adult orientated choices my father made. I never told her that I preferred his reading material, it's one of the many regrets I had when she died when I was 21.
Anyway... I'll stop waffling now.
I enjoyed this just as much as when I was a child. The thing that strikes me as odd though, why are Lalla's Aunt Claudia and step-uncle David still married? I laughed at the idea of giving a child whiskey after a faint, it seems so far out of time now.
Noel Streatfeild writes cleverly of the difference in class, the lingering aftermath of WWII and the children are so well developed that they feel like they could be our friends, or the children of friends.
I guess it's pretty clear that I loved this, it was perfect for a wet Sunday afternoon by the fire. I'm going to find my battered copy of Ballet Shoes now and read that.
My mom bought me this when I was about 9, in response to my father gifting me Dracula, Lord of the Rings and Jane Eyre. She thought she could get me to read proper children's books instead of the adult orientated choices my father made. I never told her that I preferred his reading material, it's one of the many regrets I had when she died when I was 21.
Anyway... I'll stop waffling now.
I enjoyed this just as much as when I was a child. The thing that strikes me as odd though, why are Lalla's Aunt Claudia and step-uncle David still married? I laughed at the idea of giving a child whiskey after a faint, it seems so far out of time now.
Noel Streatfeild writes cleverly of the difference in class, the lingering aftermath of WWII and the children are so well developed that they feel like they could be our friends, or the children of friends.
I guess it's pretty clear that I loved this, it was perfect for a wet Sunday afternoon by the fire. I'm going to find my battered copy of Ballet Shoes now and read that.
tetika_sunshine's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ether3al_elle's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
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
3.75
l1nds's review against another edition
4.0
I'm embarrassed to say that despite being a big reader as a child (including classics) I didn't know that there were 'Shoes' books by Noel Streatfeild other than Ballet Shoes until I saw You've Got Mail. I know, I'm disgusted with me too. And despite now being aware of their existence it's still taken me YEARS to read one of them!
I really enjoyed this. I bought it on a whim in a charity shop and saved it for a rainy day - a muscle spasm in my hip last week left me feeling very sorry for myself and this was exactly the kind of cosy tale I needed as a pick me up! It's no Ballet Shoes, but that holds a special place in my heart so I shan't hold that against it. If you've ever read any Noel Streatfeild it's exactly what you would expect, and I say that as a good thing!
I really enjoyed this. I bought it on a whim in a charity shop and saved it for a rainy day - a muscle spasm in my hip last week left me feeling very sorry for myself and this was exactly the kind of cosy tale I needed as a pick me up! It's no Ballet Shoes, but that holds a special place in my heart so I shan't hold that against it. If you've ever read any Noel Streatfeild it's exactly what you would expect, and I say that as a good thing!
mrswythe89's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of the very few books that I reread a million times as a child, but have not really read since, so I only remembered the broad outline of the plot, and didn't necessarily know what was going to happen next at every turn. I enjoyed that so much -- it was like reading it for the first time, but even better because I was already primed for the satisfying emotional moments, even if I couldn't remember what they consisted of.
There's a lot I missed as a kid -- that Lalla is the main character, for example, because Harriet is easier to identify with as a bookish kid who was quiet around strangers. The rationing, because it's just after WW2. The way the male adults are constantly smoking in the presence of kids!
I wish Harriet were better fleshed out -- you are told she becomes more interesting all of a sudden towards the end of the book, but Streatfeild doesn't really tell you *how* she becomes more interesting. But Lalla is such a great character. And all the skating jargon is amazing. I loved Streatfeild's books so much as a kid because the kids all had real work that was important. And I like how White Boots has lots of different examples of the work you could do, and enjoy or value in different ways -- Lalla and Harriet's different kinds of skating, Alec's paper round (which he does and takes pride in because it's getting him to his dreams) and market garden (which is his vocation), Toby's being a pain about numbers.
Also what I didn't have as a kid reading this book was YouTube, and I've finally figured out the difference between Harriet's kind of skating and Lalla's kind. For my own future reference, a video of people doing compulsory figures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iSDbt2WcBE Which I find really charming, and it explains why Harriet can be stiff and withdrawn and serious and still be a better skater than Lalla.
There's a lot I missed as a kid -- that Lalla is the main character, for example, because Harriet is easier to identify with as a bookish kid who was quiet around strangers. The rationing, because it's just after WW2. The way the male adults are constantly smoking in the presence of kids!
I wish Harriet were better fleshed out -- you are told she becomes more interesting all of a sudden towards the end of the book, but Streatfeild doesn't really tell you *how* she becomes more interesting. But Lalla is such a great character. And all the skating jargon is amazing. I loved Streatfeild's books so much as a kid because the kids all had real work that was important. And I like how White Boots has lots of different examples of the work you could do, and enjoy or value in different ways -- Lalla and Harriet's different kinds of skating, Alec's paper round (which he does and takes pride in because it's getting him to his dreams) and market garden (which is his vocation), Toby's being a pain about numbers.
Also what I didn't have as a kid reading this book was YouTube, and I've finally figured out the difference between Harriet's kind of skating and Lalla's kind. For my own future reference, a video of people doing compulsory figures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iSDbt2WcBE Which I find really charming, and it explains why Harriet can be stiff and withdrawn and serious and still be a better skater than Lalla.