Babs Beloved Books: Noel Streatfeild Book Collection! ☺️💝📚

Thursday, March 5, 2026

Noel Streatfeild Book Collection! ☺️💝📚

Happy March, Friends!

I hope you're not sick of seeing another book collection post - lol! I couldn't resist sharing the (current) Noel Streatfeild books in my little home library. (Pssst...I'm hoping to share my Susan Scarlett book collection soon, too. I'm almost done reading all 12 Dean Street Press Furrowed Middlebrow editions—woo!)

There's something very special about Noel Streatfeild stories...they're heartfelt, family-rich, cozy, real, and full of authentic characters you feel like you know (or want to know). Sometimes I feel frustrated with the "baddies" (usually selfish, pompous, close-minded individuals), but things always seem to turn out alright—and that's why I love her books.

I would love to say that I know a great deal about this lovely, spirited and incredibly talented author, but I only know the smallest amount (at the moment!) You should definitely check out her Wikipedia page to learn more about her fascinating life!

I really loved my collab last year with Sue (@myownbookjourneys) last year! She has the BEST vintage editions—I'm still drooling over them in a serious way! 😍❤️📚

I also wanted to thank Beth of Small Home Comforts for inspiring me to keep reading more NS books this year! Her hashtag of #yearwithstreatfeild2026 is so fun and includes a wonderful variety of titles. I'm following along this year and I hope you will, too!

BOOK RATINGS:

(These are listed in the order that I read them. Only one book I've read as a child. The rest were read in my late 40s until now. Also, you can also find my full reviews of these books on Goodreads!)

Ballet Shoes 5🌟 (child), 3.5🌟 (adult)
Saplings 3🌟
The Bell Family/Family Shoes 4🌟
A Vicarage Family 4.5🌟
Caldicott Place 3🌟
Apple Bough 4🌟
Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories 4🌟
The Growing Summer 3.5🌟
Thursday's Child 4🌟
New Town/New Shoes 4🌟
Noel Streatfeild's Holiday Stories 4🌟
Christmas with the Chrystals 3.5🌟
The House in Cornwall 4.5🌟
Skating Shoes 5🌟
Theatre Shoes 5🌟
Movie Shoes/The Painted Garden 3.75🌟
The First Book of Ballet 4.75🌟
Dancing Shoes 4🌟

2026/2027 TBR:

Aunt Clara
The Years of Grace
Circus Shoes
Tennis Shoes
Party Shoes/Party Frock
By Special Request
The Children of Primrose Lane
The Gemma Series
Birthday Book

WISHLIST:

Noel Streatfeild's Ballet Annual
Mothering Sunday
It Pays to Be Good
The Winter is Past
Noel Streatfeild: A Biography
Judith
Caroline England
The Whicharts
I Ordered a Table for Six
Tea by the Nursery Fire
The Maitlands
Gemma and Gemma & Sisters
Parson's Nine
Grass in Piccadilly

NOTE ON FIRST PHOTO IN POST: The photo in top left picture frame was printed out from the National Portrait Gallery website. (Photo by Bassano Ltd.) The photo in the lower right gold picture frame was printed out from Getty Images website. This photo features Noel Streatfeild autographs a copy of her book 'The Years of Grace' for actress Barbara Murray (1929 - 2014), circa 1950. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.)