Customer Reviews
This is the best book in the entire world! 
2005-09-02
I LOVE this book. No other book in the entire world can ever replace it. I was 9 years old when I first read it ,and fell in love with it the second I read it. I cried at the end the first time I read it because I thought there would be no more books about Pauline, Petrova ,and Posy. When I found out there were more (The Painted Garden and Theater Shoes) I was overjoyed! So far I have only read Theater Shoes. I have re read this book 7 times! It will never get boring no matter how many times you read it. I also loved how all the girls in the story either liked acting, dancing, or airplanes. They were each so diffrent. Being a dancer (I have danced Ballet for 11 years and pointe 2 years)I could see why Posy loved doing it ,and being an actress (acted with a professional acting company for 3 years) I can see why Pauline loved acting so much. Petrova was the least understandable to me ,but to others she may feel like a twin. To the question at the end of the book, I think I'll answer Pauline.
Childhood dream 2005-08-04
This was one of my very favorite books as a child. It got me interested in taking dance lessons. Since there was little money for lessons, I was 30 years old when I took my first ballet class.
I danced for nearly 20 years just for the love of it, and was always glad I had fulfilled my childhood dream -- the one that Ballet Shoes helped foster.
I bought this book for my niece, who is a ballerina at age 13. I confess I reread it before I gave it to her, and I still enjoyed it thoroughly.
Simply Amazing ..... 
2005-05-29
These books are beautifully written. A group of young women who want to make themselves famous but more importantly live a legacy to be remembered. Posy, Pauline, and Petrova are determined young children to fulfill their goals in life. It is a refreshing book about children being mature and well-mannered yet still have the innocences of a child. These are the type of children, one would want to see in the world.
Meg liked them 2005-03-16
How could anyone who ever saw "You've got Mail" not run out and buy these books. All the "shoe" books are great, according to my neice. If Meg liked them, so will you. Go buy them. Now. :)
..there is a sequel... 2004-10-30
If you enjoyed Ballet Shoes, as I did, you may be interested to know that on the 1950's Noel Streatfield wrote another book called 'The Painted Garden' in which some English children have to move to America. In this story of their adventures, they meet the grown up Fossil sisters. However, to get the most from this book you should have read both Ballet Shoes and Frances Hodgson Burnett's 'The Secret Garden' first. 'The Painted Garden' is not available from Amazon in the USA, but is available from Amazon in the UK.
the worst book I've ever read in my life! 
2007-02-28
This book is very confusing and mis leading. The author first went wrong with charicters with names like underware or perfume brands enough said. Please consider this reveiw and buy a different book please the last thing this book needs is five stars. :( ;( 8(
Differences are beautiful 2007-02-22
What I love the most about this book is that it reminds all of us, especially young girls, that being different is beautiful and special. Some of us may be actors, others dancers, etc. In the end the most important thing is to follow our hearts. This is a great book for girls today- growing up in a time when the media continues to suggest that we should all "follow the crowd".
Favorite Childhood Book 2006-06-20
This was my favorite book growing up; I read it over and over and over again. Whether it was because I was one of three sisters, or because I loved dancing, or simply because of the incredible world Streatfeild created, I don't know. I wanted to have the magical life that Pauline, Petrova, and Posy shared. This is a great read for any young girl, and might even be appreciated by not-so-young girls as well. I'm sure I'll keep rereading it throughout my life. I loved that it got the recognition it deserved in "You've Got Mail."
Also good: Children on the Top Floor. Not strictly a "shoe" book like the others, but just as good.
A wonderful and charming story! 2006-04-04
I loved this book! It is the story of three orphans, Pauline, Petrova, and Posy, who are adopted by an older man who is gone during most of the book. After going through most of the money that he has left for their care until his return, the three sisters attend a special school of the arts. There they can learn to act, dance, and sing; then they can get jobs in different performances making money. Pauline falls in love with acting, Posy is a natural dancer, and poor Petrova would rather fix cars and learn to fly planes than be on stage. All the characters are wonderful and a joy to read about, the story is unique and charming. I simply didn't want it to end. The sisters are fun characters that children will love to read about. Adults will enjoy this story just as much.
Ballet Shoes--Life before Social Benefits 2005-09-15
For any aspiring young dancer, this book is a must read. This series of "shoe" books is the one mentioned in You've Got Mail>Set in England around 1913, it details the lives of three adopted children, Pauline, Petrova, and Posy Fossil who learn to dance and act in order to help out their guardian's niece who is looking after them while GUM (Great Uncle Mathew) is away looking for more fossils. They attend the Children's Academy of Dance in London, but are trained in acting, mime, and dance. Posy's mother was a famous ballerina and Posy, the youngest will stop at nothing to get the best training. Petrova's mother was Russian, but Petrova loves machinery of all kinds, especially cars and airplane (aeroplanes in England). Pauline is a natural actress and achieves fame in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. This book is great for all girls who want to become famous and make their name known.
