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missmary98's review against another edition
3.0
Eh. Didn't really appeal to me. And everyone kept saying that the kids had terrible English but it really wasn't that bad??? Like it was just grammatical stuff, really.
lunaseassecondaccount's review against another edition
2.0
I was disappointed with this book. I thought it would have been more about Anna's struggle to convince her uncle that she should take ballet lessons, but instead it was about two brothers scrounging up money. That was the only thing on the brothers' minds- how to get money for Anna's classes. They had no interests of their own. Gussie started to, towards the end when he joined the school's gang, but even then his primary focus was to get money for classes.
Anna had no personality of her own. She appeared to know that going en pointe at eight was too young, but that was it. Why didn't she want to actually dance- not do repeated exercises? Even center exercises seems to cause her anguish. I felt like telling her- Anna, ballet is dancing. Yes, exercises are vitally important, but each exercise you do is the equivalent to a movement on the stage. That whole aspect of the story puzzled me. And it didn't even seem as though it was because she was bashful or thought her dancing wasn't too good. It just seemed to be that Anna didn't want to dance at all.
This book lacked any kind of character depth, or even basic character motivation. It seemed to be:
1. Get money for Anna.
2. Find a way to get money for Anna.
3. ???
4.Profit! Ballet lessons for Anna.
Not to mention Anna never seemed to be grateful for all the trouble her brothers went through. Like Gussie said, it was one thing after another- ballet lessons, then ballet shoes, then a ballet tunic and finally another ballet teacher. Geez, Anna, give it a rest.
And finally the ending. And that was that.
Thanks for the lack of conclusion, there, Streatfeild.
Anna had no personality of her own. She appeared to know that going en pointe at eight was too young, but that was it. Why didn't she want to actually dance- not do repeated exercises? Even center exercises seems to cause her anguish. I felt like telling her- Anna, ballet is dancing. Yes, exercises are vitally important, but each exercise you do is the equivalent to a movement on the stage. That whole aspect of the story puzzled me. And it didn't even seem as though it was because she was bashful or thought her dancing wasn't too good. It just seemed to be that Anna didn't want to dance at all.
This book lacked any kind of character depth, or even basic character motivation. It seemed to be:
1. Get money for Anna.
2. Find a way to get money for Anna.
3. ???
4.
Not to mention Anna never seemed to be grateful for all the trouble her brothers went through. Like Gussie said, it was one thing after another- ballet lessons, then ballet shoes, then a ballet tunic and finally another ballet teacher. Geez, Anna, give it a rest.
And finally the ending. And that was that.
Thanks for the lack of conclusion, there, Streatfeild.
readingtheend's review against another edition
4.0
this was so dear! it's nice to suddenly get to read a brand new Noel Streatfeild book and have it be just in line with what you want from Noel Streatfeild. the kids are orphaned by an earthquake (horrifying) and go to live with their repressive and miserly uncle in London, and they are trying to pull enough money together for the youngest kid, Anna, to get the ballet lessons she needs.
flick_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bibielle's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
inthelunaseas's review against another edition
2.0
I was disappointed with this book. I thought it would have been more about Anna's struggle to convince her uncle that she should take ballet lessons, but instead it was about two brothers scrounging up money. That was the only thing on the brothers' minds- how to get money for Anna's classes. They had no interests of their own. Gussie started to, towards the end when he joined the school's gang, but even then his primary focus was to get money for classes.
Anna had no personality of her own. She appeared to know that going en pointe at eight was too young, but that was it. Why didn't she want to actually dance- not do repeated exercises? Even center exercises seems to cause her anguish. I felt like telling her- Anna, ballet is dancing. Yes, exercises are vitally important, but each exercise you do is the equivalent to a movement on the stage. That whole aspect of the story puzzled me. And it didn't even seem as though it was because she was bashful or thought her dancing wasn't too good. It just seemed to be that Anna didn't want to dance at all.
This book lacked any kind of character depth, or even basic character motivation. It seemed to be:
1. Get money for Anna.
2. Find a way to get money for Anna.
3. ???
4.Profit! Ballet lessons for Anna.
Not to mention Anna never seemed to be grateful for all the trouble her brothers went through. Like Gussie said, it was one thing after another- ballet lessons, then ballet shoes, then a ballet tunic and finally another ballet teacher. Geez, Anna, give it a rest.
And finally the ending. And that was that.
Thanks for the lack of conclusion, there, Streatfeild.
Anna had no personality of her own. She appeared to know that going en pointe at eight was too young, but that was it. Why didn't she want to actually dance- not do repeated exercises? Even center exercises seems to cause her anguish. I felt like telling her- Anna, ballet is dancing. Yes, exercises are vitally important, but each exercise you do is the equivalent to a movement on the stage. That whole aspect of the story puzzled me. And it didn't even seem as though it was because she was bashful or thought her dancing wasn't too good. It just seemed to be that Anna didn't want to dance at all.
This book lacked any kind of character depth, or even basic character motivation. It seemed to be:
1. Get money for Anna.
2. Find a way to get money for Anna.
3. ???
4.
Not to mention Anna never seemed to be grateful for all the trouble her brothers went through. Like Gussie said, it was one thing after another- ballet lessons, then ballet shoes, then a ballet tunic and finally another ballet teacher. Geez, Anna, give it a rest.
And finally the ending. And that was that.
Thanks for the lack of conclusion, there, Streatfeild.
lucyjunee's review against another edition
I liked it. It was cute, lighthearted and sweet
inthelunaseas's review against another edition
2.0
I was disappointed with this book. I thought it would have been more about Anna's struggle to convince her uncle that she should take ballet lessons, but instead it was about two brothers scrounging up money. That was the only thing on the brothers' minds- how to get money for Anna's classes. They had no interests of their own. Gussie started to, towards the end when he joined the school's gang, but even then his primary focus was to get money for classes.
Anna had no personality of her own. She appeared to know that going en pointe at eight was too young, but that was it. Why didn't she want to actually dance- not do repeated exercises? Even center exercises seems to cause her anguish. I felt like telling her- Anna, ballet is dancing. Yes, exercises are vitally important, but each exercise you do is the equivalent to a movement on the stage. That whole aspect of the story puzzled me. And it didn't even seem as though it was because she was bashful or thought her dancing wasn't too good. It just seemed to be that Anna didn't want to dance at all.
This book lacked any kind of character depth, or even basic character motivation. It seemed to be:
1. Get money for Anna.
2. Find a way to get money for Anna.
3. ???
4.Profit! Ballet lessons for Anna.
Not to mention Anna never seemed to be grateful for all the trouble her brothers went through. Like Gussie said, it was one thing after another- ballet lessons, then ballet shoes, then a ballet tunic and finally another ballet teacher. Geez, Anna, give it a rest.
And finally the ending. And that was that.
Thanks for the lack of conclusion, there, Streatfeild.
Anna had no personality of her own. She appeared to know that going en pointe at eight was too young, but that was it. Why didn't she want to actually dance- not do repeated exercises? Even center exercises seems to cause her anguish. I felt like telling her- Anna, ballet is dancing. Yes, exercises are vitally important, but each exercise you do is the equivalent to a movement on the stage. That whole aspect of the story puzzled me. And it didn't even seem as though it was because she was bashful or thought her dancing wasn't too good. It just seemed to be that Anna didn't want to dance at all.
This book lacked any kind of character depth, or even basic character motivation. It seemed to be:
1. Get money for Anna.
2. Find a way to get money for Anna.
3. ???
4.
Not to mention Anna never seemed to be grateful for all the trouble her brothers went through. Like Gussie said, it was one thing after another- ballet lessons, then ballet shoes, then a ballet tunic and finally another ballet teacher. Geez, Anna, give it a rest.
And finally the ending. And that was that.
Thanks for the lack of conclusion, there, Streatfeild.
hannahslibrary92's review against another edition
3.0
This book was just OK for me, I don't know if it's because this book is a children's book, or if it's simple not for me, but I didn't find it that brilliant.
There were parts of it which I did like, and it was a quick and easy read, but overall it wasn't brilliant and I wouldn't read it again. I especially didn't like the ending.
I read Ballet Shoes a while ago and I liked it, so I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations.
For a full review, visit my blog at www.thebooktower.webs.com
There were parts of it which I did like, and it was a quick and easy read, but overall it wasn't brilliant and I wouldn't read it again. I especially didn't like the ending.
I read Ballet Shoes a while ago and I liked it, so I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations.
For a full review, visit my blog at www.thebooktower.webs.com
verityw's review against another edition
3.0
I was suprised how up-to-the-moment-it-was-written this was. It's a very late career Streatfeild and considering how old she was, this actually feels like she was still in touch with what was going on at the time it was written - unlike some other of her contemporaries. There's common themes and experiences with her earlier books, but life has moved on - the ballet of Ballet Shoes is here, but Streatfeild knows it's not the 1930s any more and things have changed - I was impressed.
Beyond that it's a nice culture clash story about three children who are orphaned and have to try and adjust to living in England after having lived a nomadic life in a caravan travelling around Europe with their parents. It could have used a bit more of S'William and a bit more resolution at the end, but other wise, it's a really good children's story.
Beyond that it's a nice culture clash story about three children who are orphaned and have to try and adjust to living in England after having lived a nomadic life in a caravan travelling around Europe with their parents. It could have used a bit more of S'William and a bit more resolution at the end, but other wise, it's a really good children's story.