Drina Goes on Tour

Drina #10

by Jean Estoril (Pseudonym), Mabel Esther Allan

Drina passes her school exams and becomes a senior student at her dance school, which means that her whole day is spent in dance classes and rehearsals. A nasty flu epidemic leaves the dance company short-staffed, and Drina and some friends are sent out to join the tour as replacements. Drina has a difficult time adjusting to life with a touring company, as the accommodation is quite a bit different from what she's used to with her well-off grandparents. And finally, the secret Drina has hidden from her peers since her arrival at the Dominick is discovered...

Genres: Childrens, Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, British Literature

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

A pseudonym of Mabel Esther Allan.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humor me on this one. I read the first five of this 11-part series as a kid and never knew that another six books were written (in the 60s). I recently bought five of the books and I've been poking around the internet for over a year to find this one for less than 100 bucks (unbelievable). Finally. I found this on Abe and ordered away. Its so satisfying to read the last one in the series! Definitely for ballet-lovers only, but Estoril does a nice job of painting a picture of the jealousy and cattiness that is (unfortunately) a part of the ballet world. She also shows the joy.

[Felicity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has got to be one of my favourite books from the whole series. It starts with Drina and her friends saying goodbye to the old Dominick building and getting used to the new one in Euston Road. A friend of hers then finds out she is Ivory's daughter and the whole story comes out. This has repecussions within the whole school and of course the media finds out about it.

During her first term as a senior student, she along with Rose, Queenie and Jan dances on tour with the Dominick due to other members getting influenza. She ends up sharing some horrible digs in Manchester with Queenie which strangely enough brings them together. She also doesn't really enjoy being part of the company as she feels tired and run down. She realises that her grandparents have spoiled her slightly so finds it hard to adjust to dingy accommodation and a small dressing room shared by all the corps de ballet.

Her friend Jenny gets married and then Grant returns to the scene.

This was one of the best books as you saw Drina having to deal with the unglamorous parts of being an artiste. You also see her gradually go through the ranks of the company and admonishing herself for being so affected by the horrid conditions in Manchester.

My one complaint is that it was too short and I wanted to know how her relationship with Grant developed in to what we see at the beginning of Drina Ballerina!

[Rhona Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought my book a long time ago. I love this series and re read a lot as they are like old friends. This is the 10th in the series. In this book Drina has a very quick holiday in Italy visiting relatives and her friend she met in the previous book. The Chesters and Drina move into a new flat, Jenny gets married. The truth about Drina's parentage comes out. And she's asked with a few others in the Senior school to cover for dancers who have been ill and unable to dance.
Highly recommended. Age 9plus. Confident reader.

[Kate H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had not read the Drina books since I was a child and I recently re-read them all. I read the first 5 as a child and then as a teen I hunted down the final 6 once I realized they existed. I am happy to say that for the most part they hold up to the test of time. They are very much in the style of British school stories but I quite like those. I think the whole series is definitely worth the effort it takes to hunt them down.

[Sonja Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read any Drina stories in years, but I did enjoy the first few books. I thought that they were all until I realized that after New York Drina continued her career. This is the next-to-last in the series.
It was an enjoyable read, watching as Drina and her friends adjust to the move of the Dominic School, and then to her joining the corps de ballet on tour; a much less enjoyable experience than her others! Nice to catch up with Jenny, who is getting married! at a very early age. Drina herself is barely 17, but is “in love” with the bland and vague Grant. (It strikes my older, more cynical self as a strong puppy love, but who am I to question their “bond”?). That storyline aside, Drina is adapting to life as a dancer, and is terrifyingly single minded about it

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a slow progression of seeing Drina grow up, and now she's almost there. This is one of the best books in the series.

[Rachel Abercrombie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye operation comfort read #10

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second favourite, after Drina Dances in Exile. Also, oddly enough, the ONE my library didn't have! While I read the others countless times as a kid, this second-last I didn't even find until I was 21. It was certainly worth the wait and a really interesting story, with Drina naturally older than at the start of the series - and off touring up north now, and making nice with Queenie of all people! o.O Quite a touching little interlude there.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

The penultimate book of the series and one of the best.

Drina has a baptism of fire with her 1st tour as a member of the company...but it has one good result...friendlier relations with Queenie Rothington than she would have ever thought possible!

Then the best thing ever happens....Grant reappears!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, these are pretty terrible upon reread, but how I devoured them growing up! I should probably track down Drina Ballerina just for completeness's sake, but the last time I checked used book sites a few years ago, copies were going for over a hundred dollars, which is not ideal.

[Lisa]

Read this series in JR High and simply LOVED them! I need to track these down.....

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

see review of book #1