Monday, December 16, 2013

Such pretty, pretty, pretty colors


There's a particular scene in the movie "You've Got Mail" when Meg Ryan helps out a book store clerk and a customer look for Noel Streatfeild's books. When I saw that movie years ago, I immediately got curious about these classic children's books and decided that I would read them.

And like Meg Ryan's character, my favorite is Ballet Shoes. It was published in 1936, and yet it's still as entertaining as ever. Very, very wholesome fun. It provides a much needed diversion after I've been re-reading the violent The Godfather these past few days.

The other books are quite good too. I'm still looking for Tennis Shoes though. I hope they have it in bookstores soon. The Shoes series are wonderful. If I had kids, these are the books that I would read to them every night.

Oh, by the way, Noel Streatfeild is a woman.

7 comments:

Rich Mom, Rich Dad. Poor Mom, Poor Dad. said...

Oh wow. These are great book covers. I love "You've Got Mail"! I need to pick these up!


www.jaimelovesstuff.com

Peter S. said...

Yes, so pretty, aren't they? Adorable actually!

Kaz said...

TOO spooky, Peter!! I just - literally just this minute - put a post up and mentioned 'You've Got Mail'.... How weird is THAT????

On the Streatfields...I have 'Tennis Shoes'. I have an extremely rare hardcover of Tennis Shoes... My mother called me one day and said she'd just been to her local library sale, and picked up a book for me - "That children's author you like, Streatfield. Can't remember what it's called - I left it in the car...something about tennis..." "Oh," she said, after I shrieked "Tennis Shoes???" into the phone, "Yes, dear. Is that good?" And for the princely sum of $2, at that! :-) I have all the 'Shoes' books in my Streatfield collection - but mostly in older, non-American editions, so they have the original titles, not necessarily the 'Shoes' titles.

Peter S. said...

My, my, my! Spooky indeed!

I am green with envy! You have a hardback Streatfeild!

Kaz said...

I have a number of hardback Streatfields, and Angela Bull's excellent biography. I'll have to do a post on her at some point.

Hey - have you seen what Jack's up to? He's got a book out!!!

Lynai said...

Ooooh books for kids! I'm going to be on the lookout for these for the little girl. :) (So what, if baby girl is only 5 months old? We start her young, yes? Hehehe.)

Peter S. said...

Hi, Lynai! Oh yes! Never too young!