[As a child,] Ballet Shoes enveloped me. I entered the world of the three Fossils completely, sharing their classes, performances, and everyday routines. (p. 191)

The world the Fossils inhabit is very tidy and scheduled, governed by strict ideas of what is proper…. Despite its financial precariousness, their world is secure. Everyday life is the focus of the story, and we enter their world through details…. Detail is the key—clear, precise, essential. It helps create the enjoyable combination of the incredible—three orphans collected by an old eccentric and left with his young niece in a big old house—with the concrete.

Just as the daily routine is fully described, the characters are thoroughly portrayed. In many ways Ballet Shoes is a celebration of individuality. Each of the three Fossils is distinct, with her own talents, tastes, and personality. In the course of the story, each one develops...