The Nutcracker [Hardcover]

Janet Schulman (Author), E. T. A. Hoffmann (Author), Renee Graef (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

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.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Many, many children know and love the Nutcracker story. Every year, in every city, countless ballet troupes, accompanied by Tchaikovsky's thrilling music, perform this Christmas classic about a girl who helps a wooden nutcracker man defeat a nasty army of mice and winds up in the magical dreamworld of the Land of Toys. But the ballet leaves a few questions unanswered. How did the Nutcracker and the King of Mice become such mortal enemies? And how did the Nutcracker turn into a handsome prince? Acclaimed children's author and editor Janet Schulman (The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury) adapts E.T.A Hoffman's 1816 original, faintly sinister, tale and helps answer these questions. The lines between good and evil are drawn less sharply than in the familiar ballet, and more attention is paid to all that happens before the ultimate battle between the toys and the mice. The King of Mice, by the way, is a nightmare-inducing seven-headed fiend. Renée Graef's warm, old-fashioned artwork softens the scarier aspects of this exciting edition of The Nutcracker, which includes a full-length CD featuring Tchaikovsky's music and a narration of the story by celebrated actress Claire Bloom. Schulman's version is bound to become a happy holiday tradition for the entire family. (Ages 5 and older) -- Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

Though many children are familiar with the Nutcracker ballet, Schulman's (The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury) more complete version of Hoffman's "The Nutcracker and the King of Mice" will keep young readers on their toes. This vivid tale of intrigue, wicked curses and rodents hot on revenge satisfyingly reveals why the Mouse King and the Nutcracker were such bitter enemies. The text was originally published in 1979; kids and parents will like the way it's presented here, with a CD containing actress Claire Bloom's reading of the story and selections of Tchaikovsky's music, and with Graef's slightly dark, antique-flavored paintings, themselves spiced with 19th-century decorations, toys and sweets. All ages. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 18, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060278145
• ISBN-13: 978-0060278144
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #327,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Nutcracker that introduces you to the original Hoffmann story, March 29, 2007

By 

Yi-Peng (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nutcracker (Hardcover)

The Janet Schulman edition of Nutcracker is a different creature from most other Nutcracker books. Like the venerable Maurice Sendak edition, it presents the original Hoffmann story, albeit in a simplified version here. I first read this book just to acquaint myself with the real Nutcracker, not the one best-known from the well-loved Tchaikovsky ballet. Yes it may be darker but it is certainly more fascinating and adds an edge to the story.

Without going into plot spoilers here, it's fascinating to read how Godfather Drosselmeier's family was involved in the wicked schemes of the Mouse King, his mother Dame Mouserinks, and Princess Pirlipat. This episode may have been omitted from the ballet, but it demonstrates how Drosselmeier helped Marie earn Nutcracker's love, making her more steadfast. It offers a greater role for Drosselmeier than in the ballet. However, this edition gains an edge by presenting the bare bones of the story without delving into too many details like in the original.

This book fuses the original Hoffmann story with the ballet scenario, but only towards the end when it describes Marie's journeys with Nutcracker. The original Hoffmann story does not include any Sugraplum Fairy or any of the dancers for whom the ballet provides music. It may be disconcerting to fans of the original Nutcracker story like myself, but at least it serves to make the original Hoffman story more accessible to younger listeners who only know the ballet. But this does not hurt because I rather like the Tchaikovsky ballet, and the music is after all included on the narrated CD with Claire Bloom.

I am well aware that this book tones down the dark domestic atmosphere of the original story and softens the hard, stern character of Marie's parents and Fritz. But even so it's a treat to be able to read at least a simplified version of the original Hoffmann story. The accompanying CD with Claire Bloom's narration is equally wonderful, except that the sound quality doesn't seem to be so good, as if it were transferred from a cassette rather than the original master tapes.

In short I would definitely recommend this version of Nutcracker, as a step up from the sanitised Tchaikovsky ballet. It is a worthwhile introduction to the original Hoffmann story and would perhaps serve as a step-up to the original Hoffmann version, available in Maurice Sendak's wonderful picture-book edition.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book!, December 14, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Nutcracker (Hardcover)

This is a beautifully written version of The Nutcracker. I have never read a more beautiful adaptation. The CD is incredible and I think Claire Bloom's reading of the book is amazing. I hope that many people will buy this book and enjoy it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally - on CD!, December 4, 2009

By 

KSTrillian (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nutcracker (Hardcover)

I grew up listening to Claire Bloom's reading of this version of the Nutcracker. We had an LP that my parents transferred onto cassette for me to listen to. I listened to that all the time during the month of December and is the only tape to this day that I ever listened to so much that I actually wore the magnetic tape so thin that it finally broke! I came across this book several years ago and was delighted to recover my beloved story, now on CD! I have always been a fan of the ballet and loved how this version of the story is more in depth, explaining how the Nutcracker came to be and why he is at odds with the Mouse King. It doesn't feel truly like Christmas to me until I hear Ms. Bloom's lovely voice saying, "Snow was gently falling...".