I think that this book was very similar to Ballet Shoes, but there were few things which made me like this book more than Ballet Shoes.

First of all, timewise this book lasted a lot shorter time. The events took place in oly a bit over a year. This made the plot more clear and the story wasn't just a list of things that happened to the children.

Secondly, this book didn't have very much dancing in it either, but in this book I wasn't even expecting it. Since the book was called Theatre Shoes, I started it with the expectation that it would be more about theatre and acting. So I guess it's about managing one's expectations...

A very good companion story to Ballet Shoes in which, during WW2, three children are uprooted from their country life with a clergyman grandfather and sent to live with an actress grandmother in London. They go to a stage school, have scholarships from the Fossils, and gradually find their places in the new world. Streatfeild draws on her own wartime and acting experience for this book, and it's very engaging

Here's your rewritten book review:

"Theater Shoes" by Noel Streatfeild offers a delightful journey into the world of three orphans thrust into the realm of acting amidst World War II. Sent to live with their somewhat eccentric grandmother, an actress of some renown, the siblings find themselves enrolled in the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training. Through the eyes of Sorrel, Mark, and Holly, readers witness the magic of the stage and the challenges of navigating life's complexities. Streatfeild's narrative effortlessly blends adventure with moments of light-heartedness, portraying minor conflicts as exciting adventures through the lens of youth and naivety. Although the characters are relatively simple, the rotating focus among the siblings, primarily Sorrel, adds depth to the storytelling. While some readers may find Alice's use of rhyming slang off-putting, the overall narrative stands strong on its own, with subtle nods to Streatfeild's other works like "Ballet Shoes." Accessible to readers of all ages, "Theater Shoes" offers a well-crafted, engaging read that is capable of charming both genre enthusiasts and casual readers alike.

This is only the first Shoes book that I have read, but was very happy that I did, I would like to find the rest. I am not sure if it is intended yet or not until I read more of his books but I think the shoe theme follows along the lines of learning to walk in another persons shoes. In this case, what would it be like to be part of a great acting family. I hope all the books are like that. I did not know that my book was book four of the series and I think maybe it doesn't matter what order you read them, This book was a great stand alone story. This was a Good Read.

im literally obsessed with the book cover like omg

such a fun little read !!! noel streatfeild handles so many important topics in this story - how different households grow children up in different ways, the effects of war, how talent doesn't always equate to passion, the etiquette and goings on of theatre - in such a light and subtle manner that it's easy to miss if you don't pay attention, which makes sense considering this is meant for kids. excited to read the other books in the series !!!

The Forbes girls were introduced as quietly and nicely as the Fossil girls in Ballet Shoes...with added enjoyment of letters among the 3 Fossil girls and the new characters. The not-really-a-surprise ending made this WWII novel just a week bit sentimental for me, but sometimes I enjoy happy endings and nice wrap-ups and this is one of those times....next...Dancing Shoes...

WW2 is the background to the fourth Shoe book, originally entitled Curtain Up; the whole "Shoe" thing was an American publisher's idea but for this story it actually works, because it's basically a recycling of Ballet Shoes. The Fossil girls are minor characters in this riches-to-rags story; each one "adopts" one of the three new MCs, though none of them appears beyond letters--which is odd, because at least Petrova is still in England, but old enough now to be collaborating in the war effort with her flying and mechanical skills. I would have thought, however, that besides writing and telegraphing and taking a Deus Ex Machina role at the end of the story, she could at least have turned up to encourage the boy character.

That boy character. I didn't really find him convincing, particularly not compared to Peter in Circus Shoes. He's strangely fey and passive, taking what comes as it comes and not taking anything seriously beyond his own good looks and voice, though he repeatedly says he's not interested in acting/singing as a career. Shoot, he's not interested in anything much. As a boy in wartime, I would have expected him to be more interested in the war itself, soldiers etc, but perhaps Streatfield herself wasn't. I got the feeling that Streatfield added the boy (whose name I cannot for the life of me remember, and I just finished it, so you can see he made no real impression) in order to find a wider readership, as well as not quite so obviously publishing a reworking of her first big hit. Sorrel, the eldest, is afflicted with the typical odd Streatfield character-name (and I felt was probably a projection of the author herself), but little Holly (who started out to be a Posy Fossil wannabe but couldn't quite manage it) is just a very normal child caught up in the actions of adults around her. She makes mistakes, tells lies, and actually almost steals something! She's not terribly bothered about a career of any kind, though it's all fun to her, particularly the dressing-up.

The adult characters were more convincing because more varied, and I got the impression Streatfield may have been poking sly fun at actors she knew IRL. I did get tired of the servant/dresser with her constant rhyming slang, but it was an OK bedtime read. ETA: I'll tell you how forgettable this book is. I read it two years ago, and when I picked it up again, it didn't seem familiar until they finally get to Grandmother's house. And then, for a chapter or two, only vaguely.

My impression is that Noel Streatfeild was depressed when she wrote this book. The writing is not as charming or light-hearted as other books I've read. It seems to be incomplete as it ends very abruptly and we never find out what happens to the three children, even though their futures are hinted at. The children are intensely serious and characters which could have been whimsical and delightful are flat. Will have to reread in a few months to see if this all changes, but I doubt it.

This was adorable. The series is so wonderful, though I think I liked Ballet Shoes better than this one. It's a classic series that has stood up over time.
Three British children, Sorrel, Mark and Holly, were living with their paternal grandfather while their dad was away during WWII, fighting the Japanese. Mom had died when they were very young, and then their grandfather dies. Their nanny, Hannah, takes them to London to live with their maternal grandmother, who is an actress. The story is full of them learning new skills, finding their strengths, and adjusting to a world very different from what they had known before. The characters are all very likeable.
I listened to this on audio, and the narrator had a lovely British accent.

2.5 stars

A lovely read with my little sisters. There were some plots/pacing things that bugged me, and I just didn't love the characters, but I enjoyed the sibling dynamics and it was fun to have a boy join the group. The reappearance of the Fossil sisters, Uncle Mose, and the American soldier in the train were highlights.

I loved ballet shoes and dancing shoes and came across this in a charity shop. Maybe it’s because I’m well past the target audience age but it felt very clunky and unfinished and all rushed to a conclusion.

This book was very... British.