Ballet Shoes for Anna (Essential Modern Classics)

Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Most helpful customer reviews on Amazon. She said it was one of her favorites to read its a classic Timeless good versus evil and perseverance prevails! I'm giving marks for the start in which the children, three siblings, live in Turkey with their Bohemian-style parents.

An earthquake kills their English artist father and Polish mother, so they are rescued by a kindly British diplomatic traveller and brought to England. After this the tale becomes rather like an Enid Blyton with the difference of poor spoken English standards which the kids need to address. Anna has a talent for ballet and early training from her grandfather, so she is determined to keep going with lessons.

But these will cost money and the kids don't have any, besides which their stingy, formal uncle doesn't approve of dancing. We're not told why he disapproves, because classical ballet would, like choir, be seen as an asset in his middle-class community. The plump, quiet aunt supports the children but is not used to standing up to her husband.

The children, while distinct personalities, are each quite one-sided. Anna is particularly annoying as she just demands money for lessons and gives no thought to the welfare of her brothers or to earning her fees. I could not make myself like her although I like her determination and wish to train rather than to show off her skills. The older brother takes his position seriously and becomes quite domineering while the younger gets up to escapades and is easily led when he thinks there is money in it for him.

I fond a lot of repetition particularly as the earthquake tragedy is retold, and in my copy there are several typos, as though it had been scanned. Overall it's an interesting story for under tens, with some lessons to be learned. Oh, the poor, poor orphans!

This isn't quite up to par with Streatfeild's best writing but is still a decent, if over dramatic, tale of orphans who overcome tragedy. Having lived a gypsy-type life with their Polish mother and British father, who ran away from his stiff upper-lip family to pursue a career as a painter, three children are devastated when all their living European relatives are killed in an earthquake in Turkey. Love You, Hate You. Jane of Lantern Hill. I Forgot to Tell You.

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Ballet Shoes for Anna by Noel Streatfeild

Anne of Ingleside By L. Geek Girl Geek Girl, Book 1. A Wizard of Earthsea. This is why I also kept on hand my battered little Lions paperback only 50p so I could read the story and enjoy the illustrations at the same time, though Mary Dinsdale produces some rather scribbled sketches. Jan 24, Unreliable Booknerd rated it it was ok Shelves: The three children had been orphaned after their parents and grandparents died from terrifying earthquake along with the village. It's just vanished as if it was never existed. So the children was led by Sir William and they were sent to live with their cheapskate paternal Uncle, Cecil from Britain.

The children hate their Uncle but shows kindness towards their Aunt, Mabel. They made friends with Wally his parents sell clothes etc and their twin neighbour, Jonathan and Priscilla. Anna, the younge The three children had been orphaned after their parents and grandparents died from terrifying earthquake along with the village. Anna, the youngest needs to learn dancing but she is very picky to choose the teacher. She wants the best teacher to teach her as their grandfather whom they called Jardek told Anna to find the best teacher.

So the eldest of them Francesco and the middle Gussie tried hard to pay her dancing class and unluckily Gussie joined a bad gang but the truth went out and finally they met Sir William again and somehow Sir William is the one who will take care of them by sending the boys to boarding school and provide Anna her dancing class witg Madam Scarletti who turned out knew Jardek well. Frankly speaking, I don't like Anna's character because as if she never appreciate teacher's quality. And the story itself from getting interesting to rather drown and the ending was a bit of disappointment.

It's funny how relevant a story like this is in today's world. Here we have three children: They've travelled all their life and now, orphaned by an earthquake, they're refugees in Britain trying to make sense of a life totally unlike the one they left behind. Anna's a talented dancer, or will be if she has the training, but in a world where being given a home is expected to be enough, that's not an It's funny how relevant a story like this is in today's world.

Anna's a talented dancer, or will be if she has the training, but in a world where being given a home is expected to be enough, that's not an easy thing to come by. This book's one of the more modern of Streatfeild's books, set in the 70s -- she must have been nearly 90 when she wrote it, at least -- and while some of it will seem dated to the modern reader, I honestly think there are a lot of children now who'd see themselves in this book, kids who don't speak English well and don't like British food even if you can get curry pretty easily these days and cabbage isn't that popular.

This is as "diverse" a book as many that are marketed that way, and it's a touching story of three children tackling loss and dislocation in an unknown land. Sure, Anna's a little fixated on dancing. Yes, it's not an up-to-date story. But I think there's a lot in it that's relevant to today's Britain.

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Apr 26, Sharlene rated it really liked it Shelves: In the case of Anna, Francesco and Gussie, an earthquake takes away their family, destroys their village. And they find themselves in England under the care of their uncle, a mean-spirited man who wants nothing to do with them and hates that he has to spend his money on them. His wife though is sweet and concerned but always puts the husband first. So the boys, with the help of a new friend, try to figure out how to get their Anna the proper ballet training she deserves, as well as the best ballet shoes their uncle obviously considers dancing a frivolous activity.

Too bad Anna seems rather silly! Originally posted at http: Jul 22, Lauren Strickland rated it liked it.

Having previously read and enjoyed White Boots, I was looking forward to reading more of Noel Streatfeild's work. Although there was nothing particularly wrong with Ballet Shoes for Anna, I found myself slightly disappointed at the abrupt and slightly 'lack lustre'. I was looking forward to seeing the relationship develop more between the children and their aunt and uncle. I found myself wanting to see more of Aunt Mabel's character, perhaps she would make a positive change and become a stronger Having previously read and enjoyed White Boots, I was looking forward to reading more of Noel Streatfeild's work.

I found myself wanting to see more of Aunt Mabel's character, perhaps she would make a positive change and become a stronger and more confident person or the Uncle would have warmed to the children. But instead, the story just ended abruptly on the return of Sir William and I felt the whole story was concluded in just a few paragraphs. So although the story was strong throughout I rather feel the ending let it down. Sep 09, Carolynne rated it really liked it Shelves: Anna and her two live with their grandparents in a small village in Turkey which is devastated by an earthquake.

When the beloved grandparents are killed, the children are sent to live with a severe British uncle who refuses to allow Anna to take dancing lessons. Her brothers Francesco and Gussie are miserable too, until they unexpectedly find help. As with many of Streatfeild's books, one learns about an art as well as the characters. Jul 24, Hannah Harvey rated it liked it. This book was just OK for me, I don't know if it's because this book is a children's book, or if it's simple not for me, but I didn't find it that brilliant.

There were parts of it which I did like, and it was a quick and easy read, but overall it wasn't brilliant and I wouldn't read it again. I especially didn't like the ending. I read Ballet Shoes a while ago and I liked it, so I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations. For a full review, visit my blog This book was just OK for me, I don't know if it's because this book is a children's book, or if it's simple not for me, but I didn't find it that brilliant.

For a full review, visit my blog at www. May 12, Paige. Ballet shoes for Anna, is a heartwarming, slightly teary story about three siblings who become orphans after a Turkish earthquake. They are sent off to their nearest relation. Anna the youngest of them all has her heart set on becoming a ballerina. Dec 29, Kate rated it really liked it Shelves: I have always loved Noel Streatfeild's books and as a child I got my library to ILL them for me or hunted through second hand book stores to find all of them.

She tells the perfect "girls stories". I was always able to find one character in each book that was my favorite. They definitely stand up to re-reads. Dec 03, Asel Narmanbetova rated it it was amazing. Jul 19, Dora rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is the first real book I've ever read. I don't really remember much about it, I know it had a girl who loved to dance ballet, but I'm giving it a 5 because I trust my 8-year-old self who thought this was an amazing book and because nostalgia washes over me every time I see it on the shelf!

A simple yet sweet tale of three children who, after an earthquake which destroys their home and family, are left clinging to the only things they know: A lovely little book. A favourite childhood book but I did not enjoy reading it as much recently. Perhaps as a child studying ballet I could relate well to Anna's obsession and struggles. It had a certain amount of charm but the ending I found far too abrupt.

Sep 24, Clayster The rated it it was ok.

Wasn't the best book, but had a good time reading it. Thats because the printing was small. But still it was very interesting how the older sister was into witch craft. I absolutely adored this book as a child. Different perspective as an adult.

Essential Modern Classics Dreams Collection Mary Poppins / Ballet Shoes for Anna / White Boots

Feb 04, Verity W rated it liked it. 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 s any more and things have changed - I was impressed. Beyond that it' I was suprised how up-to-the-moment-it-was-written this was.

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.