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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The Famous Five Clothbound Hardcovers by Enid Blyton

I've always been an avid reader, but growing up in the eighties and nineties, I devoured books like there was no tomorrow. (That was before gadgets, social media and the Internet came on the scene, and began competing for my time and attention, along with the realities of adult life). If I wasn't playing outside or having fun with my Polly Pockets and Sylvanian Families, I could usually be found with my nose buried in a book, or visiting the local library with my Mum and checking out the maximum number of books they allowed. I couldn't get enough of them. 

In my childhood days, I read everything from The Animals of Farthing Wood to Goodnight Mister Tom, and of course, anything by Beatrix Potter, Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton.

I always had a particular fondness for Enid Blyton's books, and read every one I could get my hands on. My favourites were The Magic Faraway Tree, The Secret Seven, and The Famous Five books. (And in that order). I loved her good old-fashioned children's adventure stories, usually featuring groups of children exploring magical worlds, going on adventures, and solving mysteries together without their parents around to spoil their fun. Isn't that every child's dream? I wanted to turn my Dad's shed in to a secret club house like in The Secret Seven, and go off in a gypsy caravan like The Famous Five. I can't imagine why my parents never let me.

Then I grew up and out grew my childhood interests. I distanced myself from my childhood possessions in favour of boybands, make up, and teen magazines, as pre-teen girls often do, and my books and toys no doubt got handed down to my younger sister or given away to other kids we knew.

The only book from my childhood that I still have today is Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian, and I've long since regretted not keeping hold of the rest, especially the Enid Blytons. 

So, you can imagine how excited I was when I discovered that Hodder and Stroughton had released beautiful cloth-bound, hardback editions of the first three Famous Five books to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the series last year. I knew I had to get my hands on them, so I snapped up all three books from Amazon earlier this year, and I've been meaning to write about them ever since.



These three special editions include the first three books in the Famous Five series, Five on a Treasure Island, Five Go Adventuring Together, and Five Run Away Together, which in my opinion, are three classics that every child should read before they grow up. In fact, I think every adult who didn't grow up on them should read them, too.

The books are stunning little hard backs with clothbound covers in muted colours that create a real nostalgic aesthetic that makes them look like they've been pulled off the shelf of a 1940s child's bedroom. They each have patterned front and back covers relating to the story, and if that wasn't wonderful enough, the prints, lettering, and spines have been embellished with a beautiful metallic foil that creates a mesmerising shine. The only problem is, you'll be so distracted with playing with the covers, you'll forget to start reading the stories!

The first book in the series, Five on a Treasure Island, has a sky blue cover featuring a navy-blue ship print with a metallic blue sheen.

Five Go Adventuring Together is yellow-green in colour, and has a forest green anchor print with a metallic teal shine.

And the third book, Five Run Away Together, is brick red with a gorgeous metallic rose-gold Spitfire print on the front and back, which has such a nostalgic feel to it.

The books are also illustrated, with black and white sketch style illustrations taking up half to two-thirds of a page every few pages, which is a sweet touch, and sure to interest young readers. I think they may be the same illustrations that were in the Famous Five books I grew up on in the nineties.

All three books are absolutely beautiful. I can never resist a book with a pretty cover, and love a good cloth-bound, and these are three of the prettiest children's books I've ever seen. (And I used to work in a vintage-style toy shop with no shortage of beautiful classics). I only wish they'd release the entire Famous Five series in this style. I don't know if they plan to, but I hope they do bring them out at some point because I'd love the whole collection in this style- especially Five Go Off in a Caravan, which was always my favourite of The Famous Five stories.

I haven't found the time to sit down and enjoy these books yet, but I'm looking forward to taking that trip down memory lane soon. I'm hoping to fit them in before Autumn is through. They'd be perfect for reading curled up under a blanket on a dreary rainy day.

Here's the synopsis for each book:

Five On A Treasure Island: "When four children and their dog, Timmy, set out to explore Kirrin Island, they make a thrilling discovery that leads them deep in to the dungeons of a castle. The adventure of a lifetime awaits..."

Five Go Adventuring Again: "When The Famous Five find a map leading to a secret passageway, they can't wait to follow it, but when uncle Quentin's vital scientific papers go missing, a real-life treasure hunt begins. Could the hidden passage hold the key to finding the thief?"

Five Run Away Together: "When The Famous Five are camping on Kirrin Island they discover a mysterious trunk. Then they hear a terrified scream in the middle of the night. Could the two be linked? The children are determined to investigate."

These beautiful books have an RRP of £10.99, and should be available from all good book stores. I purchased my copies on Amazon, and you can find Five on a Treasure Island here, Five Go Adventuring Again here, and Five Run Away Together here.

Did you grow up reading The Famous Five or other Enid Blyton stories? Which was your favourite?