Features

Audio pick of the month | Ballet Shoes

Get set for a classic listening adventure, September’s audiobook of the month is BALLET SHOES. It's a magical story about growing up and its hopes, dreams and fears.

Read by Janet Streatfeild, Great Niece of Noel Streatfeild, Ballet Shoes is a tale packed with talent, determination and a little bit of girl power. This is what interested Janet when she first picked it up: “I first read it with my Mum when I was 8 or 9. I found it such an inspirational story - and l devoured all the details of the Academy of Dancing and Stage training; Madame Fidolia seemed such an exotic character to me when I think that I was learning ballet in the local church hall!”

Ballet Shoes

I found it such an inspirational story - and l devoured all the details of the Academy of Dancing and Stage training.

The three girls in the story, Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil are sisters – but with a difference. Adopted as babies by Great Uncle Matthew, an eccentric and rich explorer who then disappeared, leaving them in the care of his niece Sylvia. The girls grow up in comfort until their money begins to run out and nobody can find Great Uncle Matthew.

Pauline longs to be an actress. Petrova is happiest playing with cars and engines. And if she could...Posy would dance all day! Things look bleak until they hit on an inspired idea: they will take to the stage! This was a part of the story that Janet just loved “Pauline, Petrova and Posy all had such strong individual talents and actually managed to earn money too - this all seemed impossibly glamorous to me”.

But it's not long before the Fossils learn that being a star isn't quite as easy as they first thought. With its bold, brave and brilliant characters - all with a little bit of sass thrown in for good measure - Ballet Shoes shows you the sky is the limit when you put your mind to something. Janet agrees: “The main message of the book however which is a theme through all of Noel's books is that anything is possible if you put in enough effort.”

Download the Ballet Shoes audiobook from Audible

Sign up to the Puffin newsletter

Stories, ideas and giveaways to help you spark young imaginations