Cracking The Nutcracker: What We’re Reading Before We Watch

Confession: I’ve never been to a performance of The Nutcracker! Since Preschool Bookworm is such a fan of the orchestra, I thought we’d give The Nutcracker ballet a shot this year. We’ve been listening to Tchaikovsky’s music, and it’s become familiar enough that PB now has favorite songs from the ballet that he requests! When it came to introducing the plot to him, I have to admit, I was pretty confused.  Tchaikovsky’s score to a ballet based on a German story by E.T.A. Hoffman, by way of a French version of the story by Alexander Dumas, with countless interpretations! And so, so many hits in our library’s catalog! The editions below are my recommendations for various attention spans and interest levels.

You might also be interested in our Nutcracker themed party! (My December baby has the most FUN birthday parties!)

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For a Basic Picture Book Version:

The Nutcracker–– Picture book, short text based on the ballet, beautiful (full page, every page) pictures by Susan Jeffers. (A version we read with Preschool Bookworm.)

The Nutcracker based on George Balanchine’s production/NYC Ballet

The Nutcracker Ballet by Vladimir Vagin. 

A Step Up:

The Nutcracker–– Picture book, long text, scattered full page/vignette pictures by  Janet Schulman/Renee Graef.

Advanced:

Nutcracker— The original story, translated from the German, with pictures by Maurice Sendak (yes, the Wild Things‘ Sendak), 100 pages long. (The introduction alone was incredibly interesting to ME. I didn’t attempt this with the kids. In Sendak’s words, he describes his wrestling with the various texts, scores, and interpretations as he produced the sets and costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet.)

Bonus: History, A Spin-Off, A Chapter Book

A little history– The Nutcracker Comes to America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created a Holiday Tradition by Chris Barton. Picture book biography/history.

This retelling is set during the Harlem Renaissance and his a lovely version that explores the power of music.

Charlotte and the Nutcracker: The True Story of a Girl Who Made Ballet History. The author of this book is the first black girl to play Marie in the NYC Ballet production, in 2019 (!). Diverse ways of celebrating Christmas are featured alongside of her true story of working hard to become the star ballerina.

 

A wonderful spin-off picture book: Tallulah’sNutcracker, a story about a girl who gets a part in a nutcracker play and despite her practicing and dedication, has an unfortunate collision during the show, causing her to learn the qualities of a true performer. It’s a sweet story and my boys love it; I like the “growth mindset” twist.

And, for older readers, look for the chapter book The Nutcracker Mice. This is from the author of our favorite, The Gingerbread Pirates (which is on my roundup of favorite gingerbread books) and prolific illustrator Brett Helquist whose picture book version of A Christmas Carol is fabulous for older readers (mid-upper elementary).  Nutcracker Mice is 336 pages with full page illustrations interspersed, recommended for mid-upper elementary.

Incidentally, there’s a Little Einsteins’ episode Preschool Bookworm enjoyed, too, “The Wind-Up Toy Prince” (season 2, episode 20.) It doesn’t follow the plot exactly but exposes little ones to the music and some ballet terms and the instruments in the suite.

And, the version we watch at home on YouTube is here. Yes, Macaulay Caulkin is in it. Christmas classic.

Do you have a favorite way of enjoying The Nutcracker with your little ones? I’d love to hear! Connect on Instagram, Facebook or in the comments below.