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Bill Streatfeild, Author
Eve Coy, Illustrator
Noel Streatfeild, Author
Imprint: Orchard Books
Publication date: September 10, 2026
Category: Picture storybooks
ISBN: 9781444964493
The first official picture book adaptation of Noel Streatfeild’s Ballet Shoes, beautifully illustrated and sure to capture the imaginations and hearts of a new generation of readers.
Meet Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil – three adopted sisters who share a dream of truly making something of their name.
Posy, the youngest of the sisters, loves to dance, twirl and prance. Pauline, the eldest sister, also feels happiest on stage treading the boards as an actress. But, Petrova, the middle sister, would rather be behind the scenes.
As the young girls start their journey at The Children’s Academy of Dance and Stage Training, will they be able to discover their true callings, tap into their own unique talents, and work together to achieve their dreams?
With a heartwarming message of the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood and following your true passions, this retelling of a timeless tale is brought to life with beautiful storytelling and stunning artwork by Eve Coy.
Reimagined by Bill Streatfeild, nephew of Noel, and endorsed by the Streatfeild estate.
BILL (WILLIAM) STREATFEILD was the nephew of Noel Streatfeild, and was instrumental in the continuation of Noel’s legacy, both through his retelling of Ballet Shoes, and through his care of the Streatfeild Estate. He died in 2024, aged eighty-nine.
Eve Coy is a freelance illustrator and animator living in the Cotswolds, England. She gained an MA in Children’s Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art and her first picture book was shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize. She is also a co-director of Paper & Clay Ltd.
Noel Streatfeild (1895-1986) was born in Amberley, Sussex. Her father was Bishop of Lewes and her great-grandmother was the prison reformer, Elizabeth Fry. She was a mischievous child, often in trouble at home. While growing up, she and her sisters put on plays for parish causes and, after making munitions during World War I, she trained as an actress.
Noel Streatfeild started by writing books for adults. Her first and best-loved children’s book, BALLET SHOES, was published in 1936. She won the prestigious Carnegie Medal for children’s literature in 1939. When World War II broke out, she worked in canteens for the armed forces and for those injured by bombs. She wrote over 80 books in her lifetime and lived in London till her death.