Books with title The American Nutcracker

This 1816 story is perhaps best known as the basis for Tchaikovsky's popular ballet, but Hoffmann's holiday legend is where the spell begins. Here is the original tale of seven-year-old Marie and her beloved Nutcracker, beset by a dark mystery that surrounds this story within a story. Godpapa Drosselmeier, who once served as the royal court's inventor, recounts to Marie a tale of the trickery of Dame Mouserink, the Queen of Mice. The vengeful queen casts a curse on an innocent princess, forcing Drosselmeier to undertake an arduous quest to break the spell. His mixed success leads to the lasting enmity between the Nutcracker and seven-headed Mouse-King — Dame Mouserink's son — a conflict that only Marie can help resolve. One of the world's greatest fantasy writers and a major figure in late German Romanticism, Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (1776–1822) created extraordinary works of poetry and supernatural fiction. In tales like The Nutcracker, Hoffmann's characters come to vivid life in settings that move from the firm ground of reality to a world of enchantment, mystery, and romance.

The American Nutcracker is a magical retelling of the classic Christmas children’s tale with a decidedly American twist. The American Nutcracker combines a story of nutcrackers and dolls come to life with the American log-cabin frontier ethos and the wide diversity of the American experience. A lively plot loosely based on the E.T.A. Hoffman original includes a Nutcracker, a Sugar Plum fairy, a real girl looking to put the excitement back into Christmas, and a diversity of dolls who get involved in an adventure that includes Native Americans, magical happenings, and growing up.

Based on the Balanchine ballet, this sumptuous package is the perfect gift for any fan of The Nutcracker-young or old. The nicely balanced text (not too much, not too little) captures all the best moments and sets the stage for Alison Jay's richly imagined art. Sharp-eyed readers will notice tiny details playing out thrillingly over the course of the story (keep an eye on the gifts under the Christmas tree!). From the cozy Christmas party to the delectable Marzipan Palace, Alison Jay's artwork is truly enchanting-a snow-globe version of The Nutcracker to read every night before Christmas and all winter long.

Hoffmann's classic Christmas fairy tale, immortalized by Tchaikovsky's ballet, is brought to life by the gorgeous contemporary artwork of Finnish illustrator Sanna Annukka, and is the perfect holiday gift for adults and children alike. The Nutcracker captures, better than any other story, a child's wonder at Christmas.On Christmas Eve, Fritz and Marie excitedly await the arrival of Godfather Drosselmeier and the marvelous gifts he brings for them every year. When Marie discovers a rather curious nutcracker doll amongst the presents, she suddenly finds herself caught up in an age-old battle and ultimately transported to a magical world of sugar-frosted castles, chocolate kings, and true love. This cloth-bound edition combines the charm of Hoffmann's original eighteenth-century tale with the freshness of Sanna Annukka's gorgeous illustrations in this striking keepsake edition that will be treasured and reread by you and your loved ones for years to come.

Each December, generations of children delight in the ballet version of the quintessential Christmas story The Nutcracker. But few have had the opportunity to revel in the richly detailed original tale. Now, in this glorious new edition, acclaimed children's book author and editor Janet Schulman returns to the source'E.T.A. Hoffmann's “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice.” Here we meet Marie, her Nutcracker, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and all the other delightful characters, and we discover the answers to questions left unanswered by the ballet, like why the Nutcracker and the King of Mice were enemies. Artist Renée Graef adds her own enchantment with stunning, jewellike paintings that bring the story thrillingly to life. As an added bonus, this must-have Christmas gift also includes a free audio CD with Tchaikovsky's inimitable musical score and a reading of the complete story by actress Claire Bloom.

New York Times bestselling artist and Caldecott Honor winner Susan Jeffers has created a Nutcracker as only she can—with lavish illustrations, magnificent detail, and enchanting holiday scenes on every page. This is The Nutcracker as you’ve never seen it before!Join Marie, Fritz, and the intriguing Nutcracker himself on a magical Christmas Eve adventure. Behold the frightful Mouse King, the elegant Sugar Plum fairies, and the entire Land of Sweets in this dazzling, gorgeously illustrated holiday classic. With spare text based on the story in the ballet, this book offers a front-row seat to the enthralling tale that is a perennial favorite of adults and children alike. And for Susan Jeffers fans looking for extra content, an author’s note is included at the end of the book, in which she explains what inspired her to turn this holiday tradition into a show-stopping picture book.

On Christmas Eve, Marie Stahlbaum huddles in the dark with her brother, Fritz, waiting for the Christ Child to come. When their parents open the doors to the parlor, the scene that awaits them is mesmerizing: a Christmas tree aglow with candles and more toys than they could have imagined. Godfather Drosselmeir has made them a fine castle with dancing ladies and leaping men, a clever toy fox, and battalions of soldiers. But Marie falls in love when she finds the one last gift tucked under the tree - the Nutcracker

A classic Christmas tale with breathtaking illustrations by An Leysen! It’s Christmas Eve and Clara and her brother Fritz are excited! Every year, uncle Drosselmeier brings them special Christmas gifts. This year, Clara gets a wooden soldier. It’s a nutcracker and Fritz thinks he looks a bit silly, but Clara falls in love with his big and kind eyes. And that night, she discovers her new friend can do a lot more than just crack nuts. He used to be a brave soldier who fell in love with a real princess…. In this magical picture book, An Leysenn gives the classic Christmas story by E.T.A. Hoffmann a new look. Her evocative art will transport you to the wonderful world of the mean mouse king and the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy. For children ages 5 and up, and for everyone who loves fairy tales!

Now available in a beautiful board book edition, the New York City Ballet presents a classic ballet tale for a modern ballet lover with George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, a holiday favorite.The New York City Ballet is known for showcasing classic stories of the ballet with their trademark stylish and modern sensibility. For the first time, this beloved holiday story is told based on George Balanchine’s quintessential production. The storyline of this gorgeous board book mimics the choreography of the famous ballet and the illustrations are inspired by the backdrops and scenery from the actual production. The New York City Ballet’s production of the Nutcracker is considered to be “the” leading production in the world. A holiday tradition for many families, now readers who can’t travel to New York will be able to experience this celebratory story. A must-have for every aspiring ballerina’s library and a holiday keepsake for every family’s bookshelf.

The Nutcracker is one of the most popular ballets of all time and the most beloved Christmas ballet in America. It is a tradition for many ballet schools and professional companies to produce The Nutcracker every December.The libretto for the ballet was based on E.T.A Hoffman’s version of the story with music composed by Peter Tchaikovsky. The first staging was in 1892 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. Originally it was commissioned to be choreographed by Marius Petipa. However Petipa became ill during the project and the choreography was completed by his assistant, Lev Ivanov. This first production received some criticism and was considered unsuccessful. It wasn’t until George Balanchine revived it however in 1954 that it became the popular ballet we know today. His production for the New York City Ballet is what started the Christmas tradition that continues to this day. Children love this story especially if they love ballet! I remember the first time I saw a production of The Nutcracker when I was five years old. The memory of the beautiful dancing is still so clear in my mind. Enjoy this story with your little one and hopefully you will start your own tradition dancing in the Lands of Sweets! There are so many fun characters to explore and act out through dance!