I love family stories, and this is a real cracker.
Hannah lives on a rundown farm with her dad and three siblings. When the farm is threatened with closure, Hannah, who loves drama and writing, decides it is time to act. With the help of her best friend Lottie, and her brother and sisters, The Secret Hen House Theatre is born. Can Hannah’s dreams bring the farm back from the brink of disaster?
A really lovely read which brings both the countryside and the thrill of performing alive.
I love reading books that connect to other books: prequels, sequels, spin offs etc; In this book, the Pebble children, Mabel, Morris and Marigold have lived their whole lives in the Pebble Theatre. But times are hard, and the theatre is threatened with closure, and so the three decide they will do whatever it takes to save it. When they discover a secret from the past that is connected to the Fossil sisters (the very same sisters that featured in Ballet Shoes) they are inspired to rescue their theatre in a very special way.
You, the reader, are in good hands: the author, Carrie Hope Fletcher is an actress who has starred in several West End shows!
Thursday’s Child is one of my all-time favourite books because it contains some of my favourite story ingredients: a cracking plot, an immensely brave and plucky orphan, a dreadful orphanage and an even more dreadful villain, in the form of Matron.
There is a brilliant scene when the heroine, Margaret Thursday stumbles across the Fortescue travelling theatre company. She is quickly given a starring role in their latest production – as Little Lord Fauntleroy – and discovers, almost by accident, that she is a natural actress. Or as Mr Fortescue says, ‘born to the theatre. Talent in her little finger.’
It’s 1973, and Jenny has been chosen from hundreds of hopefuls to jet off to the South of France and star in a major Hollywood movie.
Here she meets cast and crew, including fellow child actors Belinda and John. But life on set turns out to be far from straightforward. The cast are harbouring more than a few secrets. And as the cameras roll, tangled lives and mysterious pasts begin to unspool.
A deliciously heart-warming story that is happy and sad and very rewarding.
This rollicking story is set in Georgian London, and follows the daring adventures of orphan and actress Cat Royal.
Cat has lived in the Sparrows Nest above the costume department on the top floor of The Theatre Royal since she was a baby. But when she is entrusted with a secret treasure, her life suddenly takes a very dangerous and thrilling turn. Can she survive the rogues and the villains?
A truly exciting, unputdownable read!
The best theatrical tales are never just about the magic and brilliance of performance. Backstage, behind the razzle dazzle and the excitement, there are so many stories waiting to be told. This booklist features recommended children’s books about drama and theatre.
One of the greatest books of all time. I reread the story of Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil taking to the stage regularly. I love escaping into the warm, gentle world of these characters, the way you get to really enjoy backstage life, and how it celebrates young women with talent and ambition.
This theatrical classic, published nearly 90 years ago, tells the story of the three Fossil sisters, Paulina, Petrova and Posy. Each sister has their own talent – Pauline dreams of acting, Posy of dancing, and Petrova, anything to do with cars, planes and engines. When the sisters win places at Madame Fidelia’s Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, you’d think everything would be plain sailing. But no. All sorts of pitfalls await them. This is a wonderful book that is still inspiring authors and budding performers everywhere.
An absolutely gorgeous, old-fashioned book that has inspired many of our greatest actors! I loved reading this as a child and I love reading it now and it gives children such agency, and takes their dreams seriously. I love the creativity of the Blue Door Theatre Company, and all the different roles they play on and off stage.
Amazingly, Pamela Brown started writing this book when she was only fourteen years old, and it was published by the time she was sixteen! She used her earnings to train at drama school, and eventually became an actress.
In the story, a group of children decide to turn a dilapidated old building into a theatre and put on a show. They write all their own scripts, compose their own songs, arrange the choreography and design the costumes. Dame Maggie Smith said ‘I wanted to act before I read this book, and afterwards there was no stopping me.’
One of my favourite books by my favourite writer. Magic Flutes is about an Austrian Princess who has run off to become a wardrobe assistant for the International Opera Company. It’s a dreamy, romantic indulgence of a book that takes tremendous pleasure in the world of art and music, and I love it. (Ages 12+)
I love Maggie Harcourt’s writing, and this book is such a treat for any theatre enthusiast. Hope’s dreams of working backstage in a theatre are realised when she wins an internship, but chaos (and romance) ensue. It’s a real love letter to what goes on behind the scenes of a production, and a total joy to read. (Ages 14+)
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Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
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yes
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