A Noel Streatfeild I never read as a child! First time reading it now - I have The Circus is Coming new to read as well, hooray :)I enjoyed this, but I didn't love it quite as much as her dancing books. Maybe also it's me coming to this fresh as an adult and not reading it with childhood nostalgia too, but I just kept noticing very strongly how much the children were pushed into doing tennis. It was like their father and grandfather decided they would all be fabulous tennis players and that was that. Suddenly that's what all the spare money is for, and there are so many lessons and tournaments and everything, and it was so much more than just a little hobby. And then when Nicky proved to be good - oh my, the poor thing! When everyone decided SHE was the one to pin all their hopes on, and they kept making her do all those concentration exercises, and if she was just sitting around reading they'd tell her to get up and practice her backhand or whatever... just, too much. Also, her punishment for selling the umbrellas to the tin peddler - no presents for her next TWO birthdays AND next two Christmases - I'm sorry but that's just obscene! The next birthday, sure... but to stretch out a punishment for so long just seems too unfair :( I also felt the family were a little unfair when they walked out on her having her tantrum on the court and just went home, leaving this 11-year-old to get home by herself. And then the same again after the burglar* incident. Damn that family went in for harsh punishments. How about doing the walking off and not watching the rest of her set part, but maybe waiting somewhere at the court for her? Only fiction, only fiction, I know!*(view spoiler)[I was so sad when the tin peddler tried to rob them - I honestly thought his pensive 'hmmm' was that he was going to quietly return the umbrellas! (hide spoiler)]
I enjoyed reading this, although one of the main characters, Nicky, was rather annoying. David was my favorite--"tollaly dor'ble [sic:]." Two themes are dominant in this book: hard work is important, even if you have a natural talent; England was in a moral slump and needed youth and hard work to get out of it. Nicky had the talent, but was lazy. Susan had the willingness to work, but lacked that spark of a champion. Tennis is the means by which Ms. Streatfield frames her themes, like acting, ballet and theater in her other books. family, frugality, earning your way and not getting the big head are additional themes found in almost all of her books.
What do You think about Tennis Shoes (2001)?
Once they begin learning tennis, all the Heath children appear to be talented. Of course Susan and Jim the most, because they are the eldest. Nicky is good too, but she doesn't like to practice. But as time goes by it becomes apparent that Nicky is the one destined to be the star. Jim doesn't mind, he'd actually rather compete in swimming; Susan never really liked the attention she got at tournaments; and young David would rather sing. So they all combine their efforts to help Nicky overcome her laziness and develop her innate talent. Very interesting view of the world of competitive tennis.
—Jane Irish Nelson
