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Summary
Summary
After hearing how her toy nutcracker got his ugly face, a little girl helps break the spell and watches him change into a handsome prince.
Author Notes
German writer, composer, and painter ErnstTheodor Amadeus Hoffman was born in Konigsberg, Prussia in 1776. After beginning a career in the law, Hoffman turned to music, working as a conductor, music director, and critic, and later composing a ballet, an opera, and other works. He established himself as a writer with the four-volume story collection Phatasiestucke in Callier Manier (Fantasy Stories in the Manner of Callot), which was published in 1814-1815.
Even though he published several novels and story collections, including Nachtstucke (Hoffman's Strange Stories, 1817) and Die Serapionsbruder (The Serapion Brethren, 1819-1821), Hoffman continued to support himself as a legal official in Berlin. This struggle between artistry and bureaucracy is played out in many of his works.
Hoffman died of progressive paralysis in 1822.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-This board book simplifies the story into just a few short sentences per page. The text is bland but easy enough for very young children to understand, and the watercolor illustrations, with their depictions of sweet-faced children in lovely costumes, will appeal to youngsters. This title would be an appropriate introduction to the ballet for toddlers and preschoolers, especially those who are about to attend their first performance.-E. M. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Board-book originals include an adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffmann's The Nutcracker, illus. by Thea Kliros, which pares the holiday classic to a length suitable for toddlers. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Although the background information offered in sidebars and a few double-page spreads--in the series style, with many captioned photographs and pictures--helps establish a context for the classic story, the unattractive artwork detracts from the presentation. The garish colors will not draw children to the fantastic tale about MarieÆs adventures with the Christmas Nutcracker. From HORN BOOK Fall 2000, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The transformation of the venerable Nutcracker ballet begun by Sendak and choreographer Kent Stowell for the 1983 Pacific Northwest Ballet production is carried through, in this volume, with Ralph Manheim's translation of the original Hoffmann story, ""The Nutcracker and the Mouse King""--including its central tale-within-a-tale, ""The Story of the Hard Nut."" Psychoanalytically-aware adults have long recognized the erotic symbolization of elderly Godfather Drosselmeier, prepubescent Clara (here Marie), and ""the Nutcracker."" But the ballet has no apparent dramatic shape--consisting in essence of one pantomime scene (the Christmas Eve party at the Stahlbaums) and two scenes of almost pure dancing (Clara/Marie's magical journey and the delights of Candytown). And children's books of The Nutcracker have been ""the story of the ballet."" Integrating Sendak's designs for the scenery and costumes, the present work retains the sense of a theatrical production--but not of a spectacle or delectation. ""The Story of the Hard Nut,"" which Drosselmaier tells Marie after the Mouse King's defeat of Nutcracker's army (from the Nutcracker's advent, all darkly shaded), features the transformation of infant Princess Pirlipat into a hideous nutcracker baby--a Sendakian theme-of-themes--who can be restored to herself only by eating the kernel of the hard nut Krakakut, which can only be cracked by an unshaven youth; and the last-minute crimp in this process, by vengeful Madame Mouserinks, sets the stage for the main-plot annihilation of the Mouse King, the restoral of the Nutcracker to his youthful, unshaven self, and his betrothal to Marie. Some wordless pictorial pages carry the major ballet passages; but most of the illustrations consist of marginal drawings. It is perhaps better so: the one full-page depiction of a dramatic scene in ""The Story of a Hard Nut"" looks paste-boardy, more ludicrous than horrifying. (In vapid, naturalistic color, Sendak always loses force.) Elsewhere the pictorial matter helps to bring out the many facets and dimensions of the story, and its stage associations--but, to everyone's credit, the story takes precedence here. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 4-6, younger for reading aloud. This lengthy translation of Hoffmann's story may disappoint readers more familiar with stirring scenes from the ballet. The quirky tale of young Marie, her nutcracker prince, and her strange Godpapa Drosselmeier is long and involved though it does feature heavy doses of magical moments. What's wonderful about this edition is the more than 50 paintings in glorious color. The long text is broken up by small cameos and full-page art, many of the pictures are highly dramatic as when the deformed Princess Pirlipat presents herself to young Drosselmeier. Goodrich is a master of color and lighting using glowing yellows and pinks, shadowy midnight blues and foggy grays to heighten the mystical quality of the action; his sense of enchantment will touch readers. Children going to the ballet may prefer the shorter versions of the story that are available, but those who wish to immerse themselves in the Nutcracker's ambience will be captured by these mesmerizing pictures. IC. Fairy tales [CIP] 87-45242
Table of Contents
| Introduction | p. ix |
| Christmas Eve | p. 1 |
| The Presents | p. 6 |
| Marie's Favorite | p. 11 |
| Strange Happenings | p. 15 |
| The Battle | p. 27 |
| Marie's Illness | p. 34 |
| The Story of the Hard Nut | p. 41 |
| The Story of the Hard Nut, Continued | p. 47 |
| The Story of the Hard Nut, Concluded | p. 52 |
| Uncle and Nephew | p. 60 |
| Victory | p. 63 |
| The Land of Dolls | p. 71 |
| The Capital | p. 76 |
| Conclusion | p. 95 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 102 |