The Nutcracker Ballet
by Vladimir Vagin
List Price:
Our Price: $3.70
You Save: $3.29 (47%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Vladimir VaginBrand: Scholastic Inc.
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-10-01
ISBN: 0439081858
Number of pages: 32
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Book Reviews of The Nutcracker Ballet
Book Review: A story told with clarity and illustrated with detail
Summary: 5 Stars
The Nutcracker Ballet--beloved by children, supported by adults, an opportunity for young ballet students to dance and traipse the boards. Ah, the Nutcracker!
Do you remember your first time to see this wonderland of ballet? Were you as confused as I was? Before ever taking a child to this ballet, please introduce her or him to the story. "The Nutcracker Ballet" by Vladimir Vagin is a story told with clarity and illustrated with detail. It's a great place to start.
On the two pages following the title page is a row of houses, one of which is the setting for the party. Since the time period is the late 1800's, when Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed the music for the story by E.T.A. Hoffman, attention to period detail is important.
The top half of the first page of the story shows children peeking through the keyhole (remember those?) at the adult party inside. On the wall is a sconce of glowing, lighted candles. Parquet floors are shown in the M design. In the bottom half is the script wrapped in gold bars and red ribbons and bedecked with holly. A beaded ribbon is tied around a single walnut sitting atop the I of It in the narrative.
The next page shows a decorated tree, including little lighted candles as was once popular before electric lights. The detail is truly incredible.
What is most helpful, however, is the clarity of the story. This is a book in which text and illustration work together to tell a magical story: a battle between good and evil with Clara, the girl, striking the winning blow.
The VERY BEST aspect of this version is the perspective. The child/viewer is right there on the floor at eye level with the soldiers and mice, almost a part of the battle scene. It's a little scary, but not if that child is sitting next to you or in your lap.
The page that shows the prince's Castle Land is truly fantastic: the Land of Sweets that looks like a confectioner's greatest fantasy. Pink trees with peppermint in various colors, topiary trees of more fantasia shapes and colors, gingerbread houses and spires. Nothing is simple or plain.
The Sugarplum Fairy is most striking of all. Instead of a confection color, she is wearing a black dress highlighted by plum blossoms, leaves, and ripe plums. Her attendants are more like angels from medieval paintings. It is all so delightful.
And at the end, when Clara awakes from her dream and has had her adventure, she realizes that "magic is the best present of all." Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Now your child can go to the ballet and understand the story. I did.
Summary of The Nutcracker Ballet
This beautifully illustrated adaptation of the Nutcracker delivers timeless magic and wonder right to your fingertips. A paperback edition offers front-row tickets to this beloved holiday tradition.
It's Christmas Eve in 19th century Europe. And on this magical evening, young Clara's eccentric godfather has given her a beautiful wooden nutcracker.
As midnight strikes, Clara's wooden toy transforms into a handsome prince, and Christmas quickly becomes even more enchanting. The prince takes Clara on a romantic overnight adventure into a dream world of delicacies called the Land of Sweets.
Clara's adventure ends as she wakes up snuggly tucked in her bed. As she embraces her nutcracker, she realizes that the best part of Christmas...is the magic it brings.
It's Christmas Eve in 19th century Europe. And on this magical evening, young Clara's eccentric godfather has given her a beautiful wooden nutcracker.
As midnight strikes, Clara's wooden toy transforms into a handsome prince, and Christmas quickly becomes even more enchanting. The prince takes Clara on a romantic overnight adventure into a dream world of delicacies called the Land of Sweets.
Clara's adventure ends as she wakes up snuggly tucked in her bed. As she embraces her nutcracker, she realizes that the best part of Christmas...is the magic it brings.
Literature Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Literature Books
A Beautiful Feast for a Big King Catby John Archambault, Bill, Jr. Martin
HarperCollins Publishers; Published: 2000-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.95
Racso and the Rats of NIMHby Jane Leslie Conly
HarperCollins Publishers; Published: 1986-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $48.99
Goodnight Moonby Margaret Wise Brown
HarperCollins; Published: 1947-09-03; Library Binding; Book
Best price: $12.99
Price in other shops:
A Fine, Fine Schoolby Sharon Creech
HarperCollins; Published: 2003-12-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
Listening for Lionsby Gloria Whelan
HarperCollins; Published: 2006-10-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.78
Price in other shops:
Ruby Hollerby Sharon Creech
HarperCollins; Published: 2003-12-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
The Winnie-the-Poohby A.A. Milne
HarperFestival; Published: 2003-09-23; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops:
Christmas in the Barnby Margaret Wise Brown
HarperCollins; Published: 2007-10-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
The Whipping Boyby Sid Fleischman
Harper Collins Publishers; Greenwillow Books; Published: 2003-04-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.99
Price in other shops:
FOX IN SOCKS - A Tongue Twister for Super Childrenby DR SEUSS
Collins & Harvill Press; Published: 1966; Hardcover; Book
Similar Books and other products
Nutcracker Sticker Paper Doll (Dover Little Activity Books Paper Dolls)by Marty Noble, Christmas
Dover Publications; Dover Publications; Published: 1998-12-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Nutcracker Ballet-Coloring Book (A Bellerophon coloring book)by Bellerophon Books, David Brownell
Bellerophon Books; Published: 1985-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.51
Price in other shops:
The NutcrackerWarner Brothers; Release date: 2008-10-28; DVD
Best price: $4.88
Price in other shops:
Nutcracker Sticker Activity Book (Dover Little Activity Books)by Carolyn Ewing
Dover Publications; Dover Publications; Published: 1998-01-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.21
Price in other shops:
Nutcracker Ballet Coloring Book (Dover Holiday Coloring Book)by Brenda Sneathen Mattox, Coloring Books, Christmas
Dover; Dover Publications; Published: 2005-05-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.94
Price in other shops:
Glitter Nutcracker Ballet Stickers (Dover Little Activity Books Stickers)by Darcy May
Dover; Dover Publications; Published: 2005-04-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet (Pictureback(R))by Diane Goode
Random House Books for Young Readers; Published: 1986-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.10
Price in other shops:
The Nutcrackerby Janet Schulman, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Renee Graef
HarperCollins; Published: 1999-09-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.31
Price in other shops:
The Nutcracker Ballet: A Book, Theater, and Paper Doll Fold-out Play Set (Foldout Play Set) (Christmas, Activity Book)by Mara Conlon
Peter Pauper Press, Inc.; Published: 2008-03-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.92
Price in other shops:
The Nutcrackerby Susan Jeffers
HarperCollins; Published: 2007-09-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.39
Price in other shops: