Mary Noel Streatfeild OBE /ˈnoʊəlˈstrɛtfiːld/ (24 December 1895 – 11 September 1986) was an English author, best known for children's books including the "Shoes" books, which were not a series (though some books made references to others). Random House, the U.S. publisher of the 1936 novel Ballet Shoes (1936), published some of Streatfeild's subsequent children's books using the word "Shoes" in their titles, to capitalise on the popularity of Ballet Shoes; thus Circus Shoes (originally called The Circus Is Coming ), Party Shoes (originally called Party Frock), Skating Shoes (originally called White Boots ) and many more. She won the third annual Carnegie Medal for The Circus Is Coming . [1] She was a member of the historic Streatfeild family.
Several of her novels have been adapted for film or television.
Mary Noel Streatfeild was born in Frant, Sussex, the second of five [2] [3] surviving children of William Champion Streatfeild, later the Bishop of Lewes, and Janet Mary Venn. Her life is described in three semi-autobiographical novels: A Vicarage Family, Away from the Vicarage and Beyond the Vicarage. Her elder sister Ruth Gervis illustrated Ballet Shoes . Noel was considered the "plain" sister in her family, but she shone in performances with her sisters for charity. Upon reaching adulthood she sought a career in theatre, and gained ten years of experience as an actress, working for the Charles Doran and Arthur Bourchier companies. Her familiarity with the stage was the basis for many of her popular books for children, which are often about children struggling with careers in the arts. [4]
Her first children's book was Ballet Shoes , published by J. M. Dent in 1936. She recalled, "The story poured off my pen, more or less telling itself ... I distrusted what came easily and so despised the book." [5] It was a commended runner-up for the inaugural Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best British children's book, [6] [a] and it launched a successful career in writing for children. For her third book and third "Shoes" novel, The Circus Is Coming (later published as Circus Shoes), she won the 1938 Carnegie Medal. [1]
She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1983 New Year Honours. [7]
Aunt Clara was filmed in 1954 with Margaret Rutherford in the title role. [8]
In 1968 London Weekend Television produced a six-episode serial of The Growing Summer, with Wendy Hiller as Aunt Dymphna. It was filmed in Bantry (Bantry House), in Ahakista and near Kilcrohane on the Sheep's Head Peninsula in County Cork, Republic of Ireland.[ citation needed ]
Thursday's Child was adapted for television by the BBC in 1972. [9]
Ballet Shoes was made into a 6-episode television series by the BBC in 1975. In 2007 it was made into a feature-length film for BBC One. A Granada production film, Ballet Shoes , was adapted by the screenwriter Heidi Thomas and starred Emilia Fox as Sylvia Brown, Victoria Wood as Nana, Emma Watson as Pauline Fossil, Yasmin Paige as Petrova Fossil, Lucy Boynton as Posy Fossil and Richard Griffiths as Great Uncle Matthew.
Noel Streatfeild also wrote 12 romance novels under the pen name "Susan Scarlett". [10]
Noel Streatfeild was recommended by Meg Ryan's character in the 1998 film You've Got Mail . "Noel Streatfeild wrote Ballet Shoes and Skating Shoes and Theatre Shoes and Dancing Shoes and...I'd start with Ballet Shoes first. It's my favorite ... although Skating Shoes is completely wonderful. But it's out of print." [11]
Two unpublished short stories by Streatfeild were set to be published by Virago Press in November 2018 and mid-2019 after they were discovered by Streatfeild's nephew, William Streatfeild, and Donna Coonan, the editorial director of Virago Press. [12]
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Ballet Shoes: A Story of Three Children on the Stage is a children's novel by Noel Streatfeild, published by Dent in 1936. Her first book for children, it was illustrated by the author's sister, Ruth Gervis.
Ballet Shoes is a 2007 British television film, adapted by Heidi Thomas from Noel Streatfeild's 1936 novel Ballet Shoes. It was produced by Granada Productions and premiered on BBC One on 26 December 2007. It is directed by Sandra Goldbacher.
White Boots is a children's novel by Noel Streatfeild. It was first published by Collins publishers in 1951. The book was published under the title Skating Shoes in the US, also in 1951. White Boots tells the story of a poor girl and a rich girl who meet as a result of figure skating and is the tale of their unlikely friendship.
Ballet Shoes is British television adaptation of Noel Streatfeild's novel Ballet Shoes first broadcast on BBC One in 1975. Adapted by John Wiles and directed by Timothy Combe, the series was aired in six parts on Sunday evenings. It was aired by PBS in the United States on 27 December 1976.
Wintle's Wonders is a children's novel about a theatrical troupe by Noel Streatfeild. It was first published in 1957, and in 1958 was published in the US as Dancing Shoes, a title which has also been used in more recent UK editions. A number of Streatfeild's children's novels have undergone similar retitling, linking them to her most successful book, Ballet Shoes. Wintle's Wonders draws on the author's own acting experience, and revisits the type of theatrical establishment seen in her adult novels The Whicharts and It Pays to be Good.
Marion Catherine "Kitty" Barne was a British screenwriter and author of children's books, especially on music and musical themes. She won the 1940 Carnegie Medal for British children's books.
Curtain Up is a children's novel about a theatrical family by British author Noel Streatfeild. It was first published in 1944. To remind potential readers of Streatfeild's highly successful first novel, Ballet Shoes, it is often retitled Theatre Shoes, or Theater Shoes in the US. A number of Streatfeild's children's novels have undergone similar retitling.
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Ruth Gervis was a British illustrator. Together with her sister Noel Streatfeild she illustrated the 1936 book Ballet Shoes. Her other book illustrations include The Buttercup Farm Family, The Pole Star Family, The Saucy Jane Family and The Very Big Secret.
The Circus Is Coming is a children's novel by Noel Streatfeild, about the working life of a travelling circus. It was first published in 1938 with illustrations by Steven Spurrier. For this novel, Streatfeild was awarded the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's outstanding children's book by a British subject. American editions and some later British editions are titled Circus Shoes.
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