Three Noel Streatfeild Books to Discover

When you hear someone talking about Noel Streatfeild books, chances are they’ll mention one of her most successful stories, usually in the Shoes series: Ballet Shoes or Theater Shoes (UK title—Curtain Up) or Skating Shoes (UK title—White Boots). And to be honest, I’m always excited when I see people talk about reading any Streatfeild book, because although some of the Shoes books achieved considerable popularity here in the USA, they just never quite attained the same status as other classic children’s novels.

Having been a Streatfeild fan since the age of nine, I’m delighted whenever I get the chance to introduce readers to some of her lesser-known stories. So without further ado, here’s a list of three books I’d love to share with you:

The Painted Garden (1949)

One of Noel Streatfeild’s favorite books was The Secret Garden, and this novel she published in 1949 is a clever retelling of that story. The Painted Garden follows ten-year-old Jane Winter, a middle child who has a tendency to get into trouble, as her family moves from rainy England to sunny California not long after World War II. Once in the picturesque town of Santa Monica, Jane (to her immense surprise) is cast as Mary Lennox in a major film production of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic story. She has to learn how to deal with a difficult co-star and manage her temper, or risk losing the role and her one chance of importance. It’s a lovely book that has memorable characters and some of Streatfeild’s best atmospheric writing. Be sure to get the UK edition with this title, though—the US version (Movie Shoes) is abridged.

Caldicott Place (1967)

This is one of Streatfeild’s most emotionally moving stories, and it completely captured my heart the first time I read it (and on many subsequent rereadings). This is the story of a family who inherits an old manor house that was once grand but is now run-down and in need of attention. But the Johnstone family is in need of a new home after their father’s car accident, and not only do they gradually fix up the house, they take in several children who also need a place to live. At first, personalities clash and there are numerous challenges and misunderstandings—the youngest child tries to run away before one of the older girls convinces her to stay—but the ending is marvelously happy and satisfying. It’s safe to say that this book has one of my all-time favorite finales. My first copy of this book was a US edition called The Family at Caldicott Place, but to my knowledge there are few differences in the two texts. The only major difference I’ve found between the two versions is that the UK publication has more chapter breaks (and, therefore, chapter titles).

The Growing Summer (1966)

I will likely be talking more about this story in the summer, when I plan to re-read it (again!), but it’s definitely worth including here too. If you haven’t yet heard me discuss this tale of four siblings and their summer adventures in a mysterious Ireland setting, you’re certainly going to want to pick it up now. This book follows the Gareth children as they are uprooted to the home of their unpredictable Great-Aunt Dymphna, where they have to learn how to cope with complex responsibilities and secrets. The reason why I recommend this book so often is because I think it will appeal those who love Elizabeth Enright’s summery books or Edward Eager’s magical tales, and I know there are tons of fans of those books. This sometimes overlooked Streatfeild story fits right in with those, and I hope you’ll give it a try! (P.S.—I recently bought my first UK copy of this story but haven’t read it yet. I don’t think there are many text changes from my US edition called The Magic Summer.)

Do you have a lesser-known Streatfeild favorite? If so, I would love to hear about it!