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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
I really like this book. I think one of the best bits about it is that Peter and Santa don't take to circus life at first, they've been brought up to think they're better than everyone else. But they're good kids underneath it all, and what they learn is very valuable. By the end, they belong.
(July 2022 - I still enjoy the circus setting, but on this reread didn't did that characters as compelling. Really there's not many meaningful relationships to enjoy. But it is a fun light read.)
(July 2022 - I still enjoy the circus setting, but on this reread didn't did that characters as compelling. Really there's not many meaningful relationships to enjoy. But it is a fun light read.)
I've wanted to read this one for a long time and was thrilled when my library finally acquired it. I found the circus kids pretty annoying but the adult characters were well rounded and realistic. I wish there was more of Peter and Santa actually becoming performers but it ended in a nice place.
The name change does irritate me a lot. What have shoes got to do with the circus?
The name change does irritate me a lot. What have shoes got to do with the circus?
Beautiful writing as always by Noel Streatfeild. At times I thought it was a bit long and missing a plot. But it is a wonderful read for kids especially!
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love Streatfield's other books but this one dragged on for so many pages and it felt like very little happened. None of the characters were very interesting to me so whilst I didn't hate them, I didn't really care what happened to any of them and it just made the book a lot more boring.
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I really enjoyed this Shoes book. It took us a while to get through because I kept getting throat infections and not being able to read aloud.
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This one follows Peter and Santa, my children found the fact a girl was called Santa hilarious at the start of the book! Their aunt, who's been raising them, dies and they're being sent to separate orphanages so they run away to join the circus where their uncle is a trapeze artiste.
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We enjoyed the story of the children, who started out a bit snobbish but they both developed well and became much more down to earth. By the end of the book they loved the circus and it became their home. The last couple of chapters were a bit depressing and super dramatic but, as with all the Shoes books, everyone got what they wanted in the end.
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I really appreciated the positive portrayal of the traveling community and the people who worked in the circus. All the foreign children were really smart and talented and went to school every day. I didn't have to edit any of it for racism or sexism as I read which is a problem I frequently have with our children's Classics.
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I'd definitely recommend this one for your bedtime story and it would be a nice one for those who can read to read themselves.
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This one follows Peter and Santa, my children found the fact a girl was called Santa hilarious at the start of the book! Their aunt, who's been raising them, dies and they're being sent to separate orphanages so they run away to join the circus where their uncle is a trapeze artiste.
.
We enjoyed the story of the children, who started out a bit snobbish but they both developed well and became much more down to earth. By the end of the book they loved the circus and it became their home. The last couple of chapters were a bit depressing and super dramatic but, as with all the Shoes books, everyone got what they wanted in the end.
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I really appreciated the positive portrayal of the traveling community and the people who worked in the circus. All the foreign children were really smart and talented and went to school every day. I didn't have to edit any of it for racism or sexism as I read which is a problem I frequently have with our children's Classics.
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I'd definitely recommend this one for your bedtime story and it would be a nice one for those who can read to read themselves.
Leuk boek waarbij je veel kennis opdoet over het circus.
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.
Beautiful writing as always by Noel Streatfeild. At times I thought it was a bit long and missing a plot. But it is a wonderful read for kids especially!