Nutcracker [Hardcover]

E.T.A. Hoffmann (Author), Maurice Sendak (Illustrator), Ralph Manheim (Translator)

Book Description

"A classic, new and complete. One of the ten best illustrated children's books of the year."
-- New York Times Book Review

The tale of Nutcracker, written by E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816, has fascinated and inspired artists, composers, and audiences for almost two hundred years. It has retained its freshness because it appeals to the sense of wonder we all share.

Maurice Sendak designed brilliant sets and costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Christmas production of Nutcracker and created even more magnificent pictures especially for this book. He joined with the eminent translator Ralph Manheim to produce this illustrated edition of Hoffmann's wonderful tale, destined to become a classic for all ages.

The world of Nutcracker is a world of pleasures. Maurice Sendak's art illuminates the delights of Hoffmann's story in this rich and tantalizing treasure.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A classic, new and complete. One of the ten best illustrated children's books of the year." -- New York Times Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 120 pages
• Publisher: Crown Publishers; 1st edition (September 13, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 051755285X
• ISBN-13: 978-0517552858
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, for every season, June 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Nutcracker (Paperback)

This book was a gift to my family when I was a child - I loved it then, and enjoy it more every time I re-read. The story is more than just the plot for a ballet. There is a lot of background, description, and insight included, and they do a lot to make the book fantastic. What elevates this work to magnificent is the artwork done by Sendak. It is lush, detailed, and beautiful. I can't say enough about the quality of this book, and urge everyone to find their own copy. This is not just a Christmas story, but a wonderful parable for every season

81 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not suitable for young children, December 26, 2005

By 

M. Desmond - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nutcracker (Hardcover)

My daughter loves the Nutcracker ballet and I thought it would be good for her to know the full story behind it (I had never heard it myself). The previous reviews and comments on the beautiful illustrations led me to believe this would be a great choice for my 5 year old daughter.

The illustrations are very similar in style to those in Where the Wild Things Are. If you don't like that book, you won't like the illustrations in this one. Also be aware that this is NOT a picture book. There is a very high ratio of text to illustrations.
I also feel the text is inappropriate for young children. The actual story is very dark and the language, while beautiful, is above the vocabulary and experience of most young children. ( "These intrepid and magnificently uniformed troops, consisting of gardeners, Tyroleans, Tunguses, barbers, harlequins, cupids, lions, and tigers, and monkeys, fought with coolness, courage, and perseverance. With their Spartan bravery, this elite regiment would have wrested the victory from the enemy, had not a daring mouse captain leaped into the fray and bitten the head off one of the Chinese emperors, who in falling crushed two Tunguses and a monkey." p32)

I WOULD recommend this book for older children.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book they will remember, September 22, 2004

By 

E. Morrison (Dundee, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nutcracker (Paperback)

This book is beautiful! I received the first edition as a Christmas gift as a child. I cherished it, reading it over and over again. Sendak's illustrations and Hoffman's engaging story are still vivid in my memory. I bought two copies of this re-issue, one for my 3-year-old son and one for my 4-year-old niece. This is what all children's books should aspire to. A wonderful gift for any child.