Ballet Shoes is a children’s novel by Noel Streatfeild, originally published in 1936. The story follows the adventures of three orphan girls, Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil, who are adopted and raised by an eccentric explorer and scientist, Dr. Smith.
Dr. Smith names the girls after famous female explorers (Pauline after Admiral Pauline Gower, Petrova after Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, and Posy after Mary Kingsley). The story focuses on the girls’ struggle to make their own way in the world while still pursuing their dreams of becoming professional actresses or dancers.
The story begins with the girls living in a shabby house in London with their adoptive father. Despite his best efforts to provide for them financially, Dr. Smith is unable to find steady employment and is regularly away on expeditions for long periods of time. The girls take on odd jobs around London to help out with expenses and soon discover that each has a talent for either acting or dancing.
Pauline takes up acting and quickly becomes successful as a child star on stage and screen. Petrova discovers her talent for ballet and joins a dance school run by Madame Fidolia where she works hard to perfect her technique. Posy also shows promise as a dancer but has difficulty finding her place among her older sisters
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The story follows the girls as they pursue their individual dreams while at the same time trying to remain close as sisters. With each girl striving to prove herself worthy of success in her chosen field, Ballet Shoes is an inspiring tale of determination and perseverance.
Conclusion:
In Ballet Shoes, readers experience an inspiring journey through the lives of three orphan sisters as they try to make their own way in the world while still pursuing their dreams of becoming professional dancers or actresses. As each girl works hard to prove herself worthy of success in her chosen field, readers can gain insight into what it takes to achieve one’s goals despite obstacles along the way.