Ballet Shoes (novel)
Ballet Shoes is the most famous work of Mary Noel Streatfeild. The current as a classic of English children 's literature of the 20th century book about the life of the three orphans Pauline, Petrova and Posy first appeared in 1936. In March 2009 appeared "Ballet Shoes" for the first time in German language in the Carlsen Verlag.
Action
Ballet Shoes is about the three adopted sisters, Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil. Each of them was as a baby by Matthew Brown ( known as Great Uncle Matthew or Gom ), a senior geologist and professor, discovered during his world travels and sent to his great-niece Sylvia and her nursemaid Nana home.
Gom prepares a multi-year expedition and therefore provides funds for five years for the family ready. However, it is different than planned, has not arrived after the estimated travel time at home, and the funds of the family are running out. Due to this, Sylvia and Nana need to include tenants in their house to cover the daily expenses. The close contact with tenants is the children useful later on. Tenants are Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, owner of a car repair shop, Dr. Jakes and Dr. Smith, two professors who take the education of the children after Sylvia can no longer afford the school fees, and Miss Thea Dane, a dance teacher who is the children prepares the opportunity to learn dance and to train on the stage.
As the children grow, they begin to develop their own talents, and search activities to support the budget of the family financially. Pauline is a popular stage and film actress. Petrova also occurs on the stage, but continues her dream determined to fly one day aircraft. Posy, although at the end of the book is still too young to play on stage, becoming an excellent ballet dancer. The Three Sisters are inspired and stimulated by their oft-repeated saying " to get our name in the history books, because it is our own and no one can say that it was because of our grandfathers ". The book ends, while the protagonists are still teenagers and their future is unclear. However, it is becoming apparent that they are probably successful.
People
- Gom Great Uncle Matthew Brown, a senior geologist and professor who finds the three sisters during his travels.
- Sylvia Brown Gums grandniece, known to the girls as " Garnie ", short for. Guardian (Eng. guardian).
- Nana Alice Guthe Ridge, Sylvia's nanny and later guardian, after Sylvia was orphaned as a child. Called by family and friends, " Nana".
- Pauline Fossil, the eldest sister by two years, rescued from a shipwreck. A talented actress and great beauty.
- Petrova Fossil The middle sister, adopted by a young Russian couple who died in Russia. Petrova is hard working and thoroughly interested but only for engines, aircraft and automobiles.
- Posy Fossil The youngest sister by two years. Gum let them bring a messenger home as a baby in the basket with a pair of ballet shoes. Her mother, a dancer, is perhaps still alive, as it is, ' she had no time for babies '. Posy is considered a child with a large dance talent, but it is at the end of the book still too young to appear on stage.
- Dr. Jakes and Dr. Smith tenants. Two professors of literature or mathematics in retirement. They offer to teach the children.
- Mr. and Mrs. Simpson tenants. Mr. Simpson is particularly friendly to Petrova, because it has a car from Citroen and an auto repair shop and Petrova is very interested. In the 2007 film adaptation by the BBC Mrs. Simpsons person was omitted so that Mr. Simpson could serve as a love interest of Sylvia.
- Madame Fidolia A Russian prima ballerina of the old Russian Empire in retirement. Now head of the "Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training ". It is Posy's teacher and mentor.
- Winifred A classmate at the "Children's Academy". Although it is presented as the best student, she often loses important roles because of their appearance and inappropriate clothing, a result of the poverty of their family. Winifred is both friend and rival of Pauline.
Artistic adaptation
Films
Audiobooks
The book was. Soon after its release a best-seller in both the United Kingdom and in the United States As early as 1947 had developed a first radio version for the English children's radio. Last taught the British radio station BBC Radio 4 Ballet Shoes for a 140 -minute radio play version (1999 ) which is available on CD today.
Moira Shearer, which was life itself is often called due to the lead role in the ballet film The Red Shoes (1948 ) " Red Shoes ", was chosen in 1979 by a record company to read Ballet Shoes for the first audiobook version. At this Streatfeild was still working even with. Later, the book is still January Francis ( 1987) and Harriet Walter for cassettes or CDs read.
Mary Noel Streatfeild even let her ballet shoes, there are more "Shoes books", eg Theatre Shoes, Dancing Shoes, Tennis Shoes, Party Shoes or Boots White. In this circumstance relates in the film Em You've Got Mail (1998), a scene that has the uninitiated audience feel like a gimmick: Meg Ryan advises in the role a bookseller a customer pensive: "I would start with ballet shoes, the is my favorite book, though Skating Shoes is also quite wonderful. "
In fact, for many Englishmen Streatfeild particularly due Ballet Shoes have a favorite author of her childhood. JK Rowling, who wrote the most successful children's book series of all time itself, once confessed that she still likes to read Ballet Shoes again even today.