"We three Fossils," she said in a church voice

I re-read Ballet Shoes again today - I wanted something undemanding, though as it turned out I went on a huge nostalgia trip that took in a watching of the BBC adaptation that was aired a couple of years ago on Christmas day and reading every webpage I could find on Noel Streatfield, the author, and the illustrator Ruth Gervis. It also made me long for my ballet shoes. The copy I have is about 30 years old, and was bought by my mum, who loves Noel Streatfield's Gemma series. Ballet Shoes is the first book I remember being read to me, and has been an enduring favourite since. Though it's a children's book, it served as my introduction to Shakespeare (Pauline and Petrova appear in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Richard the Third), and to the world of ballet beyond that of my classes as a 5 year old where 'good toes, naughty toes' was the limit of my knowledge. Petrova, dark-haired and boyish, was my preferred Fossil out of the three. Trend I've noticed: all my favourite heroines have the same hair as me. It was the only book from my childhood I brought with me to university, though I think next time I go home I'll retrieve Toots And The Upside Down House...

The BBC did a really good job with making it for tv; the 30s costumes were great, and Emma Watson even toned down her eyebrows for the role of Pauline.

I celebrated my 19th birthday on the 5th of November (remember, remember), but have felt no more mature since the event, as evidenced by my reading of a children's book instead of my set course novel for this week!