Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Published: September 26, 2017
Pages: 249
Give the gift of ballet and magic this Christmas with an original take on The Nutcracker ballet!
Georgie has waited for this moment her whole life--to dance the part of Clara in The Nutcracker ballet. And when she finally gets the part, it's like a dream come true. . . .
Literally.
Every time Georgie dances with the Nutcracker doll, she leaves the ballet studio and enters a world where everything around her-the old wooden furniture, the Christmas tree, the carefully wrapped presents-is larger than life. It's so magical, Georgie can't wait to return again and again.
Then the Nutcracker's magic seeps into the real world, putting Georgie's friend in danger. Everything is falling apart, and it's almost Christmas! Can Georgie save her friend, the Nutcracker, and most of all, herself?
Georgie has waited for this moment her whole life--to dance the part of Clara in The Nutcracker ballet. And when she finally gets the part, it's like a dream come true. . . .
Literally.
Every time Georgie dances with the Nutcracker doll, she leaves the ballet studio and enters a world where everything around her-the old wooden furniture, the Christmas tree, the carefully wrapped presents-is larger than life. It's so magical, Georgie can't wait to return again and again.
Then the Nutcracker's magic seeps into the real world, putting Georgie's friend in danger. Everything is falling apart, and it's almost Christmas! Can Georgie save her friend, the Nutcracker, and most of all, herself?
I won a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program. This is my honest review.
This is a middle grade retelling of the classic Nutcracker story. As such, it is fairly juvenile which is at least true to the characters ages. The main character is a young ballerina who desperately wants to be Clara in her ballet school's upcoming Nutcracker production. And I gotta' say, fiction books definitely make it seem like being cast as Clara is the goal of every ballerina ever. As she is one of the older students and she's been working towards this for years her prospects are good. But she never expected to actually become Clara while holding her instructor's antique nutcracker from the old country.
I liked the way this story played into the classic tale while adding to the real world backstory of the nutcracker itself. The way Georgie was able to pull her friend into the nutcracker world with her was also intriguing, adding to the overall magic. While I didn't love reading about the troubles between Georgie and Kaitlyn after the Clara selection, it was very realistic for girls that age, so I'm sure the target audience would find it relatable.
Overall I give Nutcracked 4.9382 out of 5 stars. - Katie
Susan Adrian is a fourth-generation Californian who now lives in the beautiful Big Sky country of Montana. She got a degree in English from the University of California, Davis, and spent a year abroad at the University of Sussex in England—which started a lifelong fascination with all things British, particularly British stories for kids. She is the author of the holiday fantasy NUTCRACKED and two thrilling books for teens. These days she splits her time as a writer, scientific editor, and mom. She's been to London many times, but hasn't yet been invited to Neverland.
Follow Susan on Twitter at @susan_adrian, and visit her on the Web at susanadrian.net.
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