Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories Book Review

Last Christmas, one of my sisters gave me a beautiful hardback copy of Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories for Christmas.

I was in the middle of another book when I received it, so I saved it up to read this Christmas when I could truly appreciate the festive stories. I've been reading it a story or two at a time before bed this past week for some light Christmas reading, and it's been a joy.

Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories is a collection of short stories originally written in the 1940s-1960s for annuals, magazines, and radio by the author of the beloved classic children's book, Ballet Shoes. It features nine of her Christmas stories, including The Bells Keep Twelfth Night, Thimble, The Moss Rose, and The Princess, which have never been collected together in one book before. There are auditions on stage, and antics on ice, pantomime trips, holiday adventures, and laughter shared with family and friends. These old-fashioned children's stories are charming, heart-warming, and humourous, and entertaining not just for children, but for readers of all ages. If you liked Noel Streatfeild's books growing up, or enjoyed stories from other classic children's authors like Enid Blyton, you should find this collection of festive stories delightful.

I can't remember if I ever read a Streatfeild book growing up (although, my older sister adored the Shoe books), but there's something wonderfully nostalgic about these stories that remind me of the stories I loved to read when I was a child. They have a similar feel to Enid Blyton stories- which isn't surprising since they were written during the same era- except Streatfeild's feature more ballet shoes and ice skates.

There are tales of cats being dressed up in turbans and feathers to cheer up an old sick lady; a princess dressing as a commoner to go shopping who slips away from her teacher to perform in a ballet, and a young girl who picks up the wrong suitcase, and instead of returning it to the tube station, drives around with a mega phone in desperation to find its owner. They're wholesome and sweet, and undeniably funny. 

The book itself is the Virago Modern Classic edition, and it's absolutely beautiful. It has a navy cover framed by two silver trees decorated with colourful baubles, with a scattering of snowflakes coming down from the night sky. At the bottom, is a mouse in uniform wearing a cape, a blonde ballerina dressed in ice blue, and a Nutcracker soldier playing a drum. In the centre, the author's name and book title are printed in white and silver on a red ribbon, with golden bells, and an angel hanging from either side. The same trees, decorations, and snowflakes are printed on the back cover, and the author's name and book title are printed on a straight red ribbon on the spine.

When you open the book, you'll discover that the book is a lovely plain scarlet hardback, with light grey end-papers covered in snowflakes and hanging decorations. Each short story is introduced with the same design of trees, baubles, and snowflakes from the cover as a black and white line drawing, and you'll find one illustration in the same style included with each story. It's beautifully designed, and a lovely little treasure to add to any pretty book collection. I'm a sucker for beautiful books, and this one sure gets my vote of approval for aesthetics. It looks so lovely on my bookshelf with all my clothbounds and other beautiful hardbacks, and the illustrations make it a treat to read.

Sure, it's a children's book, but you don't have to be a child to be able to appreciate this collection of festive stories. In fact, it would probably appeal more to adults who grew up reading Streatfeild's stories, than to children, who might prefer something a little more modern. My childhood ended far more years ago than I'd care to mention, but now and then, I enjoy reading classic children's books from days gone by for a hint of nostalgia, and Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories has given me the loveliest reading experience. The stories have been helping me relax after a busy day preparing for Christmas, and they're so festive, I've had no trouble getting in to the Christmas Spirit.

If you're looking for a light-hearted Christmas read, or a last minute present for a book lover, I couldn't recommend this lovely book to you more.

Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories is available now from all good book stores, and all the usual places. Find it on Amazon here.

Have you read Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories yet?

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