Dancing Shoes

Written by: Noel Streatfeild

First line: The School of Dancing was in North London.

Why you should read this book: Another set of orphans, Rachel and Hilary, find themselves in a most unpromising position: Rachel is to be taken in by her uncle's family, and her adopted sister sent into a home, until Rachel's aunt Cora, the producer of numerous children's dancing troupes, discovers Hilary's talent for dance. Aunt Cora and her spoiled daughter Dulcie can't imagine that anyone wouldn't want to put on darling costumes and execute high kicks, but Rachel isn't interested in dancing at all, and furthermore, she promised her mother that Hilary would never execute acrobatics, but instead perform with the Royal Ballet. What can Rachel do except stick to her lessons and her Shakespeare and occasionally stick up for Hilary, while all the while everyone around her thinks of her only as a dull, jealous, ingrate?

Why you shouldn't read this book: You've ever believed you've been robbed by a relative who earned something you didn't really deserve.