Mary Noel StreatfeildOBE, was an English author, best known for children's books including the "Shoes" books, which were not a series. Random House, the U.S. publisher of the 1936 novel Ballet Shoes, published some of Streatfeild's subsequent children's books using the word "Shoes" in their titles, to capitalize on the popularity of Ballet Shoes; thus Circus Shoes, Party Shoes, Skating Shoes and many more. She won the third annual Carnegie Medal for Circus Shoes. She was a member of the historic Streatfeild family. Several of her novels have been adapted for film or television.
Biography
She was born in Sussex, the second of five surviving children of William Champion Streatfeild, later the Bishop of Lewes, and Janet 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. 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." It was a commended runner-up for the inaugural Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best British children's book, and it launched a successful career in writing for children. For her third book and third "Shoes" novel, The Circus Is Coming, she won the 1938 Carnegie Medal. Noel Streatfeild was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1983.
Noel Streatfeild was recommended by Meg Ryan's character in the 1998 filmYou've Got Mail. "Noel Streatfeild wrote ballet shoes and skating shoes and theatre 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."
Works discovered posthumously
Two unpublished short stories by Streatfeild are set to be published by Virago Press in November 2018 and mid-2019 after they were discovered by Streatfeild’s nephew, William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.
Selected works
;Children's fiction
Ballet Shoes
Tennis Shoes
The Circus Is Coming, also published as Circus Shoes
The House in Cornwall, also published in the U.S.A. as The Secret Of The Lodge
The Children of Primrose Lane, also published as The Stranger in Primrose Lane
Curtain Up, also published as Theater Shoes
Party Frock, also published as Party Shoes
The Painted Garden, significantly abridged and published in the U.S. as Movie Shoes
