Theater Shoes ANNOTATION
During World War II in England, three motherless children, whose father is reported missing in action, go to live with their grandmother in London and join the members of their talented theatrical family in a school for stage training.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Three orphans are forced to enter a theater school by their grandmother, a famous actress. Unable to pay the tuition, they are given scholarships from the now-grown orphans from Ballet Shoes. Will they be able to live up to their patrons’ legacies? The children are ready to run away–until they discover their hidden talents. Originally published in 1945.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Jennifer Chambliss
This delightful novel takes place during World War II in England and follows Sorrel, Mark, and Holly, three siblings who are sent to live with a grandmother they have never met. They discover that their mother, who died when they were very young, was once a successful actress and came from a well-known acting family. Their grandmother, a famous English actress herself, enrolls the children in the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training. The children are uncertain at first about their new schooling and lifestyle, but they each develop an appreciation for the arts and discover talents they never knew they had. The effects of the war are a quiet but present part of the background of this story. The grandmother's house stands in the midst of others that have been evacuated and damaged by bombs. Rations and coupons and black-outs are so much a part of the everyday life that they don't seem exceptional to the characters, but make this an exceptional story and a good introduction to what everyday life was like for some families during wartime. 2003 (orig. 1945), Random House, Ages 8 to 12.
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