The Nutcracker [Hardcover]

Susan Jeffers (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: September 25, 2007 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years

New York Times bestselling artist Susan Jeffers has created a Nutcracker unlike any that has gone before, with a lovely spare text based on the ballet.

This is the perfect gift to share with children before they see The Nutcracker. Everyone who has seen the ballet will cherish it—as will anyone who enjoys stories where love triumphs.

Come, take a front-row seat. The world's most beloved holiday fairy tale is about to begin.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Skillfully retold with just a few lines of text per page...an excellent introduction to the ballet for younger children.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )

“Jeffers’ lush watercolors...will wholly satisfy families...this treatment will earn curtain calls galore.” (ALA Booklist )

“Energetic and child-friendly...Jeffers’s soft watercolors...capture both the drama of the classic story and the elegance of choreography.” (Publishers Weekly )

“{Jeffers’s] romantic, detail-rich illustrations are based on the Balanchine ballet...Jeffers offers a satisfying extension” (The Horn Book )

About the Author

Susan Jeffers is one of only a few illustrators to have been on the adult New York Times bestseller list. She has won the ABBY from the American Booksellers Association, a Caldecott Honor from the American Library Association, and the Pomme d'Or de Bratislava. Her work has been exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Norman Rockwell Museum of Art. Her books, including Brother Eagle, Sister Sky, have sold millions of copies and have been published around the world. Susan Jeffers lives in Westchester County, New York.

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition edition (September 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060743867
• ISBN-13: 978-0060743864
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Children's Books > Holidays & Celebrations > Christmas

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Classic November 14, 2007

By S. Lerner

Format:Hardcover

This exquisite new version of the Nutcracker is sure to become an instant classic. The story has been simplified so that it is accessible to a younger audience and it follows the ballet rather than the more complex fairy tale. Jeffers' drawings are so evocative that you can almost hear the music as you turn the pages of the book. Every little girl who sees the ballet and dreams of meeting the sugar plum fairy will want this book to help her remember and relive those delicious memories over and over again. And everyone who has yet to see The Nutcracker will be inspired to do so.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a beautiful book November 14, 2007

By Florida Homeschooler

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is one of the best "Nutcracker" books on the market. The illustrations are lovely and sweet. The story has been shortened for easier reading, but the author kept all of the important aspects. I'm giving it to my 8 year old daughter for Christmas...what a treat!

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The ballet was not the "original" Nutcracker story November 12, 2008

By Joanna

Format:Hardcover

I confess I haven't yet read this version of the book. I just wanted to respond to readers who criticized this book for not following the "original". The original story, which I have read, was written by E.T.A. Hoffman. The ballet was based on his story, which had a heroine named Marie and a mouse king with multiple heads (seven I think). I suspect that that costume would have been unnecessarily complicated for the costumers and dancers.