Ballet Shoes is a series of children’s books written by Noel Streatfeild and published in 1936. The series follows the adventures of three adopted orphans, Pauline, Petrova, and Posy Fossil, as they make their way in the world. Each girl has a unique talent and ambition to pursue, but they must first find a way to support themselves and each other.
The series begins with the girls being adopted by an eccentric explorer, Professor Simon Brown. He leaves them with his niece Sylvia as he goes off on another expedition. Sylvia soon departs for theatrical training in London so the girls are left in the care of her housekeeper Mrs. Simpson who helps them find jobs and navigate their new lives.
The first book in the series, Ballet Shoes for Pauline, follows Pauline’s journey to becoming a dancer. She trains hard at Madame Fidolia’s Academy of Dance in London but faces several obstacles along the way such as lack of funds and having to compete with her more talented peers. Pauline eventually succeeds and is accepted into a prestigious ballet company where she can continue to pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer.
The second book Ballet Shoes for Petrova focuses on Petrova’s ambition to become an aviator like Professor Brown. She struggles against social conventions that prevent women from entering aviation but eventually finds her own way into this male-dominated field while also helping out at a local airfield to gain experience.
Posy’s story is told in Ballet Shoes for Posy which follows her journey as an aspiring actress. She takes classes at a local acting school and joins various theater groups all while maintaining her studies at school so she can stay academically competitive with other hopefuls auditioning for theater roles.
The last book Theatre Shoes tells all three girls’ story as they come together on stage performing in various productions throughout England all while trying to manage their studies and work life balance simultaneously. The series concludes with all three girls achieving their dreams; Pauline becomes a principal dancer at Covent Garden Opera House, Petrova is hired as an engineer for an airline company, and Posy wins several roles on stage before eventually appearing on Broadway.
Overall Ballet Shoes is an inspirational series that shows how determination, hard work, and dedication can help one achieve their dreams no matter what obstacles may arise along the way.
Is Ballet Shoes a Series?
Yes! Ballet Shoes is an inspiring children’s book series written by Noel Streatfeild that follows the adventures of three adopted orphans; Pauline, Petrova, and Posy Fossil as they pursue their individual dreams in life against all odds – showing readers that anything is possible if you set your mind to it!