A really lovely family slice of life story set at the end of WW2 in England. Looking forward to more by Streatfield. ❤️

I had missed this book growing up as well, but it's one of the best in the bunch! Noel Streatfeild kept the same pace with this book as she did with her others, but the children in this book seemed to be more pulled together towards a common purpose.

Man, this book was a drag. The first twelve chapters had me praying for the sweet release of death, they were so dull, though it did pick up on chapter thirteen, and I did enjoy it more as it went on. It's a terribly thin premise and plot and it's really hard to care about anything that goes on or any of the characters until the ending. Also, I know it was renamed Party Shoes from Party Frock to bring it in line with the Shoes series, but it's about a party frock, the shoes are merely an afterthought.

I loved this book, this book was really good. I am really sad that why did Selina pass her frock and shoes to Phobe but, that's not to worry about. This book just made me think that the people/ person who is mentioned in this story are really independent and are allowed to do the pageant on their own!.
Really good book.

3.75! a slow paced read that i keep forgetting is based in england but NONE of characters i imagine with british accents

I have only read Ballet Shoes and Party Shoes, but of the two Party Shoes is my absolute favorite! My 4 year old loved it too. Would recommend this book to any family with girls, and even boys.

Noel Streatfeild's "shoe" books were some of my favorite books as a child, and they have lasting power. I own all of these novels and re-read them regularly. I cannot wait until my child is old enough to enjoy them too! This book reintroduces Selina, a character we briefly met in an earlier "shoe" book. She, like all women, needs an excuse to wear a spectacular dress. Set in wartime England, the novel explores the poverty and rationing that readers of my generation have only heard of, never experienced. Selina and her cousins decide to hold a pageant so that she can wear her dress. The characters and the novel are well-written and likable. The subject matter contains nothing objectionable and in fact, teaches morals in a way that children won't feel like they are being lectured. A great read, over and over!

I have always loved Noel Streatfeild's books and as a child I got my library to ILL them for me or hunted through second hand book stores to find all of them. She tells the perfect "girls stories". I was always able to find one character in each book that was my favorite. They definitely stand up to re-reads.

I do love Noel Streatfield's work but this made me feel a bit anxious. For half the book, this child labours under a delusion, and one that really matters to her. The adult characters are oblivious. Of course it all works out but I felt worried for her until it did, so I did not enjoy this book as much as others.

Basically "Let's put on a show" set in WWII era, where a whole village participates in a pageant at an ancient abbey. A little different than other "shoes" books.

I found the first American edition, complete with paper dustjacket, in an antique store on Solomon's Island. I'd never actually read this novel before, but I'm a big fan of Ms Streatfeild's, so shelled out the three? five? dollars the store was asking (according to Alibris, my copy is worth around $100.)

As to the content of the book: definitely one of her better stories. I think the children are very nicely brought-up and, to be honest, I'm planning on raising my children similarly. The setbacks the children face, and the ways they deal with them individually and as a group, were all presented very entertainingly. It was also nice to read the contrast between the Andrews children's relentless optimism and Selina's (and Mrs Andrews) more fretful practicality. I'm planning on having my fiance read this so he'll get a better idea of what I expect of our impending life as a family. I don't know how Ms Streatfeild would feel about my use of her novels as a manual on rearing children, but I vastly admire her entirely sensible ideas on the balance between discipline and freedom.

2.5 stars rounded up. I felt like I had wandered into the 1990s edition of The Archers, with the Ambridge production of The Mikado (with the original D'Oyley Carte set design). Selina receives a party frock and shoes from her American godmother. Sadly at the tail-end of the war there's nowhere to wear it, so of course (of course!) she and her cousins decide to get up a show. Because if it's a show instead of a party, no need to worry about rationed food. Their original idea of a little neighbourhood "do" mushrooms into a pageant with a cast of hundreds. Coinkidinks abound as suddenly the en-tire village becomes involved up to the hilt,all the otherwise rational adults agree to everything they're asked, a really-truly theatrical producer appears right under their noses, and it all ends with standing ovations and curtain calls.
I did find the book rather too long, and it bogs down in the middle. A good fifty pages could have been cut without hurting the story. Not my favourite Streatfield but not the worst, either.