E.T.A. Hoffman's 1816 Nutcracker shines like tinsel in this lively version based on the landmark ballet choreographed by George Balanchine for New York City Ballet. (Fun fact: 105 costumes appear onstage in each performance!)
On Christmas Eve, Marie receives a special gift from her beloved godfather: a Nutcracker "dressed as a handsome soldier with a white beard." That very night, Marie wakes to find her Christmas tree grown impossibly large, and stranger still, the Nutcracker comes to life. He defeats the menacing Mouse King, transforms into a handsome Prince, and leads Marie out into the snowy night. The Prince and Marie embark on a fantastic journey in a "cozy walnut boat" to the Land of Sweets where the Sugarplum Fairy honors them with wondrous entertainment by her subjects, including Mother Ginger, who dances with tiny clowns beneath her skirt. Argentina-born Valeria Docampo's luminous illustrations evoke the breathtaking splendor of New York City Ballet's Nutcracker, still performed every winter at Lincoln Center. --Lynn Becker, blogger and host of Book Talk, a monthly online discussion of children's books for SCBWI