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...if you want to see my Susan Scarlett book collection, CLICK HERE! 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!

Today, Liz (@pony.books) and I are so excited to do a collab post on Instagram sharing all of our updated Noel Streatfeild treasures for Book Friday Friday!

I really loved my collab last year with Sue (@myownbookjourneys) last year, too! 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🌟 
Ballet Shoes for Anna 4.75🌟 

Aunt Clara 4.25🌟   

2026/2027 TBR: 

• Mothering Sunday
• Circus Shoes
• Tennis Shoes
• Party Shoes/Party Frock 
• The Children of Primrose Lane 
• The Gemma Series (two of the books gifted to me by Sue @myownbookjourneys!)
• By Special Request 
• The Years of Grace  
• Birthday Book

 

WISHLIST:

• Noel Streatfeild's Ballet Annual
• 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  
• 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 as she 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.)

HELPFUL LINKS: 

•  Royal Literary Fund 
•  Story Mole 
•  Streatfeild: The Story of a Life by Susan Peak 
•  Books for Keeps
•  Persephone Books
•  Encyclopedia.com
•  Dean Street Press (for Susan Scarlett)

 NOEL STREATFEILD MOVIES:

• Ballet Shoes (2007)
• Ballet Shoes (1975)
• Thursday's Child (1972)
• The Growing Summer (1968)
• Aunt Clara (1954) 

Wishing you the most wonderful weekend, sweet friends! Let me know your favorite book(s) by Noel Streatfeild in the comments below! 💕❄️🤗❄️💕

My Manderley Press Collection! 🤩📚🌈✨

I’m finally sharing my small but lovely Manderley Press Book Collection!

After buying and reading this enchanting feature in 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 magazine about Rebeka’s home and publishing journey, I was in awe and very much inspired! (Such a gorgeous magazine, too.)

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT MANDERLEY PRESS BOOKS:
🌟 Absolutely breathtaking cover art
🌟 Exquisitely constructed
🌟 Topics that are incredibly interesting and/or unique
🌟 Excellent and personal customer service
🌟 A joy to hold and collect!

One day, I hope to own ALL of these beautiful books!! For now, I’m super excited to read Tales from London Town!!

 The Armourer's House by Rosemary Sutcliff 5🌟

China Court by Rumer Godden 3.5🌟 

The House in Cornwall by Noel Streatfeild 4.5🌟

Much love to Rebeka at Manderley Press for sending adorable bookmarks, postcards, and notes to me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate her generosity and bookish friendship! ☺️💙📘

Do you have a favorite book from Manderley Press? (Mine, so far, is The Armourer's House.)

Happy Wednesday, awesome friends! 💕🌸🤗🌸💕

Love this magazine!

 

 

 

What a great pic of Rebeka!

She has such a beautiful home!!

Favorite 24+ Books of 2024! 🤩🌟🎉📖

Happy January, Friends!!! 

I wish I could give you all the biggest New Year's hug 🤗🤗 Grab a cup of tea (or fav beverage) and a little treat (wish I could share my homemade cranberry orange scone with you!) and let's get caught up with favorite books!

I had another awesome reading year with 241 books under my book belt - woo-hoo! 🥳 Here are the books that brought me the MOST JOY last year 🥰   

Find all of my Goodreads reviews HERE! 

REPUBLISHED BOOKS

🌟You know how much I love out-of-print books that are brought back to life by amazing new publishers. These Dean Street Press Furrowed Middlebrow, British Library Women Writers and Manderley Press books stole my heart this year! Every single Ruby Ferguson book I read was a 5 star rating and I can't wait to read the last two Molly Clavering books in my collection.

NON-FICTION BOOKS 

 🌟 I love reading memoirs, almanacs, nature journals and finding favorite quotes. These books were absolutely wonderful and lovely to read before bed. Month-by-month books are my favorites—The Shape of a Year by Jean Hersey is now a new all-time favorite! (I'm currently reading her first book, A Sense of Seasons, each month during 2025.) The Elizabeth Goudge memoir touched my heart so much and, after reading this book, my admiration for her has grown even more! (Note: The Elizabeth Goudge Book Club, hosted by Julie, will be reading The Joy of the Snow this June 💚)

🌟 Unearthing the Secret Garden by Marta McDowell was also amazing!! I had no idea that the life of Frances Hodgson Burnett was so fascinating! She is definitely a person (along with Agatha Christie, Gladys Taber and Elizabeth Goudge) that I wish I could go back in time to meet. I'd also love to add a few more Susan Branch books to my collection this year! (I think I'm only missing a few...)

VINTAGE BOOKS
🌟 I enjoyed SO many Kathleen Norris (loved buddy reading this author's books with Andrea @sorrythankyou79 😍) and Marcia Willett books (thanks to Caro @carosbookcase 😁) this year. Kathleen Norris writes vintage romances (primarily set in California) that are full of cozy and descriptive details, twists, turns and (usually) thrilling endings. Marcia Willett is a new favorite of mine with her compelling family dramas. You can really get lost in her stories! Also, it's no surprise that another Ruby Ferguson and DE Stevenson title are also featured here! (Blow the Wind Southerly is alternate title for Charlotte Fairlie.) Dear Mad'm was definitely a surprise—rustic, humorous and very charming!

VINTAGE CHILDREN’S BOOKS
🌟 More brilliant books by Ruby Ferguson and Frances Hodgson Burnett! I plan on reading at least a few more children's books by BOTH authors this year. Yay! Also, The Maida and Mary Jane series are adorable, refreshing and so fun to read. Thanks to Caro (again!) for recommending Castaway Christmas and for our lovely buddy read in December 🥰🎄

 

BONUS A: CONTEMPORARY CHILDREN’S BOOKS
📘 I loved reading the entire Willam Horwood's "Tales of the Willows" series with @carosbookscase 🥰  I'm so excited that we'll be doing a re-read this year - yes!! I was so happy to find more vintage childrens/middle grade lighthouse books that have become favorites. I'd love to read more. Do you have any suggestions for me? (I might look into getting a lighthouse shaped bookcase for my lighthouse books!)

The two Bushel & Peck books are so beautiful (both in construction and story) and they now have a permanent place on my favorites book shelf! Pansy Goes to Paris was absolutely adorable (especially after my trip to Paris this year with Beth and Liz!) I'd love to read Clarence Goes to The Chelsea Flower Show next 😄

BONUS B: CONTEMPORARY BOOKS
🌼 These six books were fabulous!!! Even though I accidentally shared a photo of the wrong Laura Wood book (I meant to share a photo of A Season for Scandal), this first book was awesome, too! I'm impatiently waiting for A Game of Scandal (due out mid Feb 2025!) Dying to read more books by Valerie Perrin (especially Forgotten on Sunday), Ginny Moyer, Barbara Matteson and Lynda Marron 🤩 If you haven't read any books by these talented authors, it's time!! You'll love them!

MY TOP FAVORITE VINTAGE AUTHORS THIS YEAR
💓 Ruby Ferguson
💓 Kathleen Norris
💓 Molly Clavering
💓 Gladys Taber
💓 Frances Hodgson Burnett
💓 Jean Hersey

Dean Street Press Furrowed Middlebrow Favorites!!! Love!

Love and thanks to all of my 2024 buddy reads with Bookstagram friends! ☺️📚💚
@carosbookcase
@sorrythankyou79
@beth.bonini
@pony.books
@marjoriepaper
@elizabethgoudgebookclub
@bagfullofbooks
@gina.stanyer.books
@sabines.literary.world

Such vibrant and brilliant books! I just love the Women Writers series!

Many thanks to The British Library for sending so many books for me to review this year!! ❤️

Love the gorgeous books published by Manderley Press!

Rebeka has been so kind to send me postcards and bookmarks for each of the Manderley Press books the past year or so! She's thoughtful, generous and so talented!! 🥰💕

Warm wintery hugs to you! 💕🌸🤗🌸💕 Let me know what you're currently reading and loving! (Stay tuned for a personal blog update in the next week or two!) Much love 😍