Books: Drina Series by Jean Estoril

[Guest alpusachni]

I had all these books as a child, but they were given away. I'm tryign to get my collection back, and I currently have nujmbers 2 and 5 in the Drina series and numbers 1-7 in Satin SLippers.

 

Does anyoen know how many there are total(in both series)

 

Thanks

[Poppiedancer]

There are 13 Drina books, the last is Drina Ballerina, there is Drina dances in NY: Paris: Madeira: on tour etc.

 

I don't know how many Satin Slippers there are, I only have 2.

[Guest alpusachni]

I know these are more of a juvenile book, but I grew up reading these, however I never did get to own or read all of them. I am trying to add to and finish my collection. I had about 5 of the books from childhood and have ordered a few more.Does anyone know the exaxt number of or titles of the books?

 

so far I have: Drinas dancing year

Drina dances Alone

Drina Dances on Stage

Drina Dances Again

Ballet for Drina

Drina Dances in Switzerland

Drina Dances in Exile

Drina Dances in Italy

Drina Dances in Paris

Drina Dances in New York

and

Drina Dances on Tour

 

are there any more that I am missing???

[Guest LunaTick]

Does anyone remember the Drina book series? They were about a young girl in England learning ballet and travelling all over to different parts of the world. Ballet for Drina, Drina's Dancing Year, Drina Dances in New York, etc. These were my favorite books growing up, I always felt like Drina was my best friend! But I never realized until a year ago that the series continued after Drina Dances in NY! I was so shocked and happy!!

 

I was able to find almost the rest of the series on ebay (still waiting on Drina Dances in Paris). I still go back and read these books every once in awhile, and it's always like visiting an old familar comforting friend. Does anyone else have this emotional attachment to these books?? I recently read through them again and I was practically in tears throughout the final book, Drina Ballerina! I don't know what got into me!! Any other Drina lovers out there? Or suggestions for more books like these (lol, I shamelessly love kids books still!)

Edited September 21, 2003 by LunaTick

[Guest LunaTick]

ahhh.. whoops, mised this section!! No wonder I couldn't find any topics on ballet books!

 

sorry!!

[Alexandra]

Yes, we have lots -- make sure you check all the pages; there's more than just the list of topics on the front page.

 

I don't know the Drina books, sorry -- I wish I'd read them as a child!

[K8smom]

My daughter (18) LOVES Drina, and I have to admit that I still read children's books from time to time , and I love the Drina series too!

[Katharyn]

I borrowed the Drina books off my ballet teacher when I was around 10. When I was 13/14ish, I was wandering around a trash and treasure market early one sunday morn and there on a blue rug was the entire series (minus book 7) for $2.50.

 

Needless to say they now take pride of place on my bookshelf.

 

I love the innocence of these books, the way they try and make Drina out to be a spitfire when she's really not. Those priggish english books really strike a chord with me (but I was always an Enid Blyton fan as well) .

 

You know, there is another series that I loved, but darned if I can remember what it was called. it was trilogy about a young dancer... I loaned the books to my teacher and they were lost in a move I remember the second book was called "waiting in the wings" by Jean somebody. Gee I loved those books.... But now they are out of print and I can't remember her name, I doubt I'll ever know

 

edit: omygoodness! too exciting!!! someone posted the name on the other thread.. Jean Ure... must go thank her

[Guest LunaTick]

I have another book by Estoril, "The Ballet Twins" I think it was originally published as "We Danced in Bloomsbury Square". Is anyone aware of a sequel to that book? (It was about two fraternal twins from Liverpool who receive scholarships to the Lineraugx (sp?) ballet school. Not quite as uplifting and prim as the Drina books, but wonderful.

[Guest Adrienne]

You know, there is another series that I loved, but darned if I can remember what it was called. it was trilogy about a young dancer... I loaned the books to my teacher and they were lost in a move I remember the second book was called "waiting in the wings" by Jean somebody. Gee I loved those books.... But now they are out of print and I can't remember her name, I doubt I'll ever know

 

edit: omygoodness! too exciting!!! someone posted the name on the other thread.. Jean Ure... must go thank her

Nope, I think that although Jean Ure has written ballet stories, she's not the author of the trilogy you're thinking of. You're probably thinking of a trilogy by Jean Richardson about a girl nicknamed Moth going to the Royal Ballet School. The books are called The First Step, Dancer in the Wings, and One Foot on the Ground. I own the first two, but I've never read the third.

 

Apparently the three books were also published in one volume, although that edition is out of print, too.

 

I never heard of the Drina books until yesterday, on this board, but I think I'll try to track them down now.

[BW]

Although I'm not familiar with these books, you'll find that if you click on the Amazon link above {Ballet Alert! receives some small - but helpful - remuneration this way. } go to the Books section and type in "Drina" you'll find quite a number of them.

[K8smom]

There are eleven Drina books, all out of print, I believe, but available used. Be warned, though, that some that were published in the US were published under different titles than in the UK. I found this out when I bought some online and realized that I already had them. I believe that books three and four are under different names; in the US, books called Drina Dances on Stage and Drina Dances Alone are called, in the UK, Drina Dances in Italy and Drina Dances in Exile. I THINK! My daughter took all the books when she moved out, so I can't check for sure. Maybe a Drina expert can back me up here...

[Guest LunaTick]

I just wanted to make the happy announcement that I just obtained a copy of Drina Dances in Paris from ebay and have now I have the complete set!! YEA!!!

 

 

Oh, and also thanks to the posters here for the info about the Sadler Wells books! I just ordered a few of thoses books from ebay as well! I think I have a new hobby... collecting old ballet books.... wonder how much THIS will cost me?? lol

 

[Guest Tessa]

I know I had "Drina Dances Alone" when it was reissued in the US (by Scholastic, I think?) in the late 1980's. That one was about Drina going to the boarding school and dancing in the woods; it might also have been the same book in which she was cast in the J.M. Barrie play? "Drina Dances in Exile" seems like it would be an appropriate alternate title for this book, so I'm pretty sure they're one and the same.

[minty]

hi everybody, I'm a french girl whose hobby is ...collecting ballet books for children, and mostly in english. It's nearly impossible to find some in France, but I order a lot on Amazon and Adlibris too.

About the Drina books : I was only able to get 6 out of 11, so if anybody could help, that would be lovely ; apparently they've been reedited

some of them by Simon & Schuster USA in 1992

some of them by MacDonald GB in 1987

also by Jean Estoril you have The Ballet Family , and The Ballet Family again (Mac Donald 1989)

Drina in Exile is the one where she stays at Chalk Green , and dances The Changeling (just before Drina goes to Italy)

If you like long series , you have the Sadler's Wells one by Lorna Hill (11 books I think) , beginning by A Dream of Sadler's Wells (they exist in French in the Bibliothèque Verte under the title Irène à l'Opéra, and everything has been changed to fit France and the Paris Opera .

jEAN uRE has written 'You win some, you lose some' and 'A proper little Nureev' and others I think

another nice series is Ballet School by Mal Lewis Jones

good reading

(and yes , it is rather an expensive hobby)