The Nutcracker by Alison Jay

A lovely holiday confection, this book is based on The Nutcracker ballet.  The story is told in a very readable and accessible way that will invite children who don’t know the ballet story to hear it for the first time.  It also welcomes those who know the ballet to return to the story in a new format.  The book follows Clara as she moves through her Christmas Eve and receives a nutcracker toy for a present.  Her brother works the mechanism too hard and the nutcracker’s jaw is broken.  In the evening Clara returns to her toy, curling up with it under the Christmas tree.  She awakens to find the tree and her nutcracker growing bigger and bigger.  Her adventure continues as the nutcracker fights the mouse king and then becomes a prince.  The prince takes Clara to his castle in the land of sweets where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy. 

Jay remains true to the story of the ballet, her skillful writing making the story  a pleasure to share aloud.  It is her illustrations that really make this a special book.  As with her other picture books, the illustrations are done with a crackled finish that creates a sense of timelessness that is perfect for this story.  She uses deep colors that evoke the holidays, the warmth of the fireside, and the delight of candy. 

If you have a young ballerina in your life, this would make a wonderful holiday gift.  It is a great choice for libraries looking for a holiday picture book that is an instant classic.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial.