| The Nutcracker | 
 enlarge | Authors: Janet Schulman, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Renee Graef
Publisher: HarperCollins
Category: Book
List Price: $19.99
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $19.98 (100%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 76895
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 40
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.4
ISBN: 0060278145
EAN: 9780060278144
ASIN: 0060278145
Publication Date: October 31, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
Many, many children know and love the Nutcracker story. Every year, in every city, countless ballet troupes, accompanied by Tchaikovsky's thrilling music, perform this Christmas classic about a girl who helps a wooden nutcracker man defeat a nasty army of mice and winds up in the magical dreamworld of the Land of Toys. But the ballet leaves a few questions unanswered. How did the Nutcracker and the King of Mice become such mortal enemies? And how did the Nutcracker turn into a handsome prince? Acclaimed children's author and editor Janet Schulman (The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury) adapts E.T.A Hoffman's 1816 original, faintly sinister, tale and helps answer these questions. The lines between good and evil are drawn less sharply than in the familiar ballet, and more attention is paid to all that happens before the ultimate battle between the toys and the mice. The King of Mice, by the way, is a nightmare-inducing seven-headed fiend. Renee Graef's warm, old-fashioned artwork softens the scarier aspects of this exciting edition of The Nutcracker, which includes a full-length CD featuring Tchaikovsky's music and a narration of the story by celebrated actress Claire Bloom. Schulman's version is bound to become a happy holiday tradition for the entire family. (Ages 5 and older) -- Emilie Coulter
Product Description
Each December, generations of children delight in the ballet version of the quintessential Christmas story The Nutcracker. But few have had the opportunity to revel in the richly detailed original tale. Now, in this glorious new edition, acclaimed children's book author and editor Janet Schulman returns to the source'E.T.A. Hoffmann's “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice.” Here we meet Marie, her Nutcracker, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and all the other delightful characters, and we discover the answers to questions left unanswered by the ballet, like why the Nutcracker and the King of Mice were enemies. Artist Renee Graef adds her own enchantment with stunning, jewellike paintings that bring the story thrillingly to life. As an added bonus, this must-have Christmas gift also includes a free audio CD with Tchaikovsky's inimitable musical score and a reading of the complete story by actress Claire Bloom.
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| Customer Reviews:
 A Nutcracker that introduces you to the original Hoffmann story March 29, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The Janet Schulman edition of Nutcracker is a different creature from most other Nutcracker books. Like the venerable Maurice Sendak edition, it presents the original Hoffmann story, albeit in a simplified version here. I first read this book just to acquaint myself with the real Nutcracker, not the one best-known from the well-loved Tchaikovsky ballet. Yes it may be darker but it is certainly more fascinating and adds an edge to the story.
Without going into plot spoilers here, it's fascinating to read how Godfather Drosselmeier's family was involved in the wicked schemes of the Mouse King, his mother Dame Mouserinks, and Princess Pirlipat. This episode may have been omitted from the ballet, but it demonstrates how Drosselmeier helped Marie earn Nutcracker's love, making her more steadfast. It offers a greater role for Drosselmeier than in the ballet. However, this edition gains an edge by presenting the bare bones of the story without delving into too many details like in the original.
This book fuses the original Hoffmann story with the ballet scenario, but only towards the end when it describes Marie's journeys with Nutcracker. The original Hoffmann story does not include any Sugraplum Fairy or any of the dancers for whom the ballet provides music. It may be disconcerting to fans of the original Nutcracker story like myself, but at least it serves to make the original Hoffman story more accessible to younger listeners who only know the ballet. But this does not hurt because I rather like the Tchaikovsky ballet, and the music is after all included on the narrated CD with Claire Bloom.
I am well aware that this book tones down the dark domestic atmosphere of the original story and softens the hard, stern character of Marie's parents and Fritz. But even so it's a treat to be able to read at least a simplified version of the original Hoffmann story. The accompanying CD with Claire Bloom's narration is equally wonderful, except that the sound quality doesn't seem to be so good, as if it were transferred from a cassette rather than the original master tapes.
In short I would definitely recommend this version of Nutcracker, as a step up from the sanitised Tchaikovsky ballet. It is a worthwhile introduction to the original Hoffmann story and would perhaps serve as a step-up to the original Hoffmann version, available in Maurice Sendak's wonderful picture-book edition.
The Nutcracker January 15, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Wonderful illustration, the book can be read on its own or listen to the cd read to you. Absolutely love it, and so does my 10 year old daughter!
 Fantastic book! December 15, 2002
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
This is a beautifully written version of The Nutcracker. I have never read a more beautiful adaptation. The CD is incredible and I think Claire Bloom's reading of the book is amazing. I hope that many people will buy this book and enjoy it.
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