Skating Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

I’m so glad this is one of a series of four. One book by this author would not be enough.

Harriet and Olivia meet when Harriet’s doctor prescribes skating lessons to help Harriet recover her strength after an illness. Her first day at the rink, she meets the vivacious and talented skater, Olivia. Olivia is being groomed by her aunt to be a champion skater. Her aunt is her guardian because her parents drowned when they skated onto a pond and broke through the ice. Her father had been a champion skater himself.

Harriet is poor; Olivia rich. Harriet is serious and hard-working; Olivia is a bit flighty and slightly spoiled. But their friendship takes off, and both are good for each other in their own ways.

And then, Olivia starts having trouble with the finer points of skating figures, and Harriet starts blooming with an unexpected skating talent. Their fast friendship flounders.

The language is a bit old-fashioned (the book was copyrighted back in 1951). That should not hold back any but the most reluctant reader. It is a delightful and uplifting tale.

SAFETY RATING: 3 Vatican Flags