Books For Keeps
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Articles
  • Past Issues
  • Latest Issue
  • Authors and Artists
  • Latest News
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
November 5, 2015/in Fiction 10-14 Middle/Secondary /by Angie Hill
BfK Rating:
BfK 215 November 2015
Reviewer: Andrea Rayner
ISBN: 978-1406358742
Price: £6.99
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Genre: Fiction
Age Range: 10-14 Middle/Secondary
Length: 192pp
Buy the Book

The Red Shoe

Author: Ursula Dubosarsky

Matilda and her two sisters are growing up in Palm Beach on the outskirts of Sydney in the 1950s. Their story is set against a backdrop of the Cold War. World events are paralleled by the tragedies and struggles that emerge in Matilda’s own family.

Strange men move in next door and Matilda thinks they are spies. Her sister, Frances, acts as if she is happy but she isn’t. She is worried about the disappearance of a friend and miserable at school. Elizabeth, the oldest of the sisters, is refusing to go to school, and the doctor says she has had a nervous breakdown.

The grown-ups are facing problems too. The girls’ father is often away at sea and when he is home he is unable to forget the horrors of fighting in World War II. To make matters worse, his brother always seems to visit when he is away. Now, the girls’ father has disappeared and no one knows what has happened to him.

There are two mysteries in the novel: the first concerns the strange activities of the secretive new neighbours; and the second involves a peculiar incident that occurred when the family went to the Basin for a picnic. This incident seems to have fractured the family and left the girls anxious and uncomprehending. Will the girls ever unravel the truth of what happened and will their father return home safely?

This is an atmospheric and evocative story that works on many different levels. It is extremely subtle in terms of the plot and emotions, making the reader think more deeply about the narrative and the ideas it conveys. This means it is more demanding than many novels for the age range but also more rewarding, and its accomplished and elegant style will engross the reader.

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png 0 0 Angie Hill http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png Angie Hill2015-11-05 10:32:002021-07-14 09:33:40The Red Shoe

Search for a specific review

Author Search

Search







Generic filters




Filter by Member Types


Book Author

Download BfK Issue Bfk 272 May 2025
Skip to an Issue:

About Us

Launched in 1980, we’ve reviewed hundreds of new children’s books each year and published articles on every aspect of writing for children.

Read More

Follow Us

Latest News

Winners of the 2025 Carnegie Medals announced

June 19, 2025

Inclusive Books for Children book-gifting scheme expands again

June 18, 2025

School Library Association Announces 2025 Shortlists for the Information Book Award

June 17, 2025

Contact Us

Books for Keeps,
30 Winton Avenue,
London,
N11 2AT

Telephone: 0780 789 3369

ISSN: 0143-909X (this is our International Standard Serial Number).

© Copyright 2025 - Books For Keeps | Proudly Built by Lemongrass Media - Web Design Buckinghamshire
The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair Brunt Boggart: A Tapestry of Tales
Scroll to top