Skip to main content

Books That Take You There: The Nutcracker

By
One of the most famous ballets of all time, The Nutcracker, is often a part of holiday traditions. Whether you enjoy the story, the music, or watching the ballet, these books will help take you to the Nutcracker through reading!

Written by Heather Alexander
Illustrated by Amelie Videlo
New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2021. Informational. 95 pages.

This illustrated guide introduces children to ballet as a whole, then narrows its focus to The Nutcracker. Descriptions of the plot and characters help explain the story of the ballet. Famous dancers, performances, and the choreography of the ballet are also discussed.

By Lauren O'Hara
New York: Thames & Hudson Inc., 2022. Informational. 39 pages.

Shortly before the beginning of a performance of The Nutcracker, Figaro the theatre cat guides readers through London's Royal Opera House. Contributions of costumers, set designers, and technicians are recognized alongside the work of the dancers and musicians. Rich illustrations show the behind the scenes of the various departments and demonstrate the importance of the various crew members to putting together a production of the ballet.

By Mireille Messier and Gabrielle Grimard
Toronto, ON: Pajama Press, 2019. Picture Book.

The Nutcracker is being performed in New York City, and one little girl is eager to take in all the sights and sounds of the performance as she attends with her father. Onomatopoeia will delight readers as they are immersed in the ballet experience.

By Natalie Andrewson
New York: First Second, 2020. Comics. 137 pages.

In this retelling of the story that inspired the ballet, the Christmas gift Marie is most excited about is a nutcracker. When a giant mouse king enters her home and battles against her toys, Marie must make sacrifices to protect her beloved nutcracker.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

By
KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: The Teacher of Nomad Land

By
The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story By Daniel Nayeri Montclair, NJ: Levine Querido, 2025. Historical fiction. 181 pgs. In 1941 Iran, 13-year-old Babak will do anything to stay with his younger sister Sana, who is 8. After their father is killed during the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, the siblings are left orphaned and Babak takes over guardianship to prevent the two from being separated. Carrying his father's blackboard on his back, Babak and Sana set off from Isfahan to find the nomadic tribes as they make their yearly trek across the mountains. Along the way, they encounter a suspicious man named Vulf, a friendly Englishman with a name that means cabbage, and a Jewish boy named Ben who has Vulf hot on his heels. As he is known for doing, Daniel Nayeri weaves a highly readable adventure with threads of philosophy about God, the ties of family, and musings about how cultures can reconcile across differences. The setting of this novel is ingeniously unique, and a lengt...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dog Man Read Alikes

By
Dog Man  is a popular graphic novel for middle graders all about the adventures of a half-man, half-dog police officer. With 14 books in the series, many readers can't get enough of these hilarious stories! If your child is looking for more books like Dog Man, here are some great options to try out.  Dex Dingo: World's Best Greatest Ever... Inventor By Greg Foley Los Angeles: Disney-Hyperion, 2024. Comic. 157 pages.  Dex Dingo doesn't know what he wants to do when he grows up. His classmates all seem to know, but he just doesn't feel like he is the BEST at anything. When a class assignment challenges him to figure out what he wants to be, he decides he wants to become the world's best ever inventor! Filled with beautifully drawn spreads and kid-approved humor, this book is sure to please any Dog Man fan.  Troubling Tonsils Written by Aaron Reynolds Illustrated by Peter Brown  New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. Fiction. 71 pages.  ...
Post a Comment
Read more