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Noelle of the Nutcracker
At Christmas time a beautiful ballerina doll who longs to dance is discovered in a toy store and coveted by two little Ilyana, who wants to love her, and Mary Jane, who doesn't want Ilyana to get her.
Paperback
Published November 1, 1997
90 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Jane
48 books9 followersPamela Jane is the author of thirty children’s books including C JUMPED OVER THREE POTS AND A PAN, TRUCKS ZOOMING BY, LITTLE GOBLINS TEN (Harper) and LITTLE ELFIE ONE. Her memoir, AN INCREDIBLE TALENT FOR EXISTING: A WRITER’S STORY, is a personal, psychological, and political adventure from the 60s. Pamela's essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The NY Daily News, Writer's Digest, and The Writer, among other places. and The New York Times Sunday Book Review.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 24, 2019
One of the books that I've read more times than any other, read out loud to my siblings, a book that I've loved since a very young age...I reread it every Christmas for nostalgia's sake.
Update, December 2019: this book really has never lost its magic for me. I start reading it and get pulled right back into the story as if I've never read it before, even though I know every detail basically by heart.
Update, December 2019: this book really has never lost its magic for me. I start reading it and get pulled right back into the story as if I've never read it before, even though I know every detail basically by heart.
September 4, 2013
OMG! I loved this book when I was a little girl! Girl-like-me gets the doll she wants for Christmas AND gets to perform on stage AND shows up spoiled rich brat, tons of toys and ballet and holiday candy described, and a happily ever after for all protagonists.
In a word? Cozy.
July 20, 2021
Noelle of the Nutcracker
Plot: An independent ballerina doll, doesn’t want an owner. She just wants to dance. All the other toys want a kid. Noelle wants to be discovered. Iyana (a little girl) is simultaneously dreaming of dancing in a ballet. Illyana is excited because her class is taking a field trip to Mr. Bugle’s Toy Store. Her sister (Patricia) isn’t impressed because *her* class gets to see the Nutcracker ballet. Deep down Iyanna wishes she was Natasha Petrovna -her alter ego a very skilled ballerina- but her apartment isn’t big enough to practice the moves. Iyanna is stuck with this girl Mary Jane who likes to brag about the dolls she has (when they’re looking at all the dolls). Then Ilyanna sees Noelle and it’s love at first sight. Only Mary Jane wants her too. The store owner says she cost 175.00 and that she’s special because she can do all five ballet positions. Later on, the teacher asks what they most liked and Iyana says the doll. Mary Jane brings up that having the doll is not a thing (she’s secretly Veruca Sault). A man named Bruce Jennings a prop man for a ballet company-comes and buys Noelle for the production the Nutcracker and she’s happy because she thinks she’s been discovered to dance in the Nutcracker. (Really, she’ll just be sitting on stage). Mary Jane is scheming on ways to get Noelle so Iyanna won’t get her. Veruca (I mean Mary Jane) throws a fit when (Mr. Salt) her Dad buys her a doll and refuses to get her another and her mom (Mrs. Salt) convinces him to take her to Bugles. Mrs. Taffy announces a Christmas pageant and all the kids get to pick what they want to be -in the spirit of Christmas-. Iyanna choses to be a ballerina doll but then because Mary Jane points out it’s not alive says she’ll be a ballerina. Then Mary Jane says she’ll be one too. Illyana ends up going to the ballet in her sister’s place because she gets sick stuffing herself with Christmas treats. Illyana notices Noelle on stage when she’s given “magic glasses”. Neither Patricia nor the girls at school believe it’s the same doll. One of the girls suggests going back to the store, but Mary Jane steps out of the shadows and says she’s not there (she went back to buy her). Then she thanks Ilana for telling her where she was because her Dad is on the Board of Directors of the Ballet, (I seriously wanna hit this girl with a snowball). Noelle gets traded for a French doll and stuffed on a shelf in a dark room by Bruce (who takes pity on her). But she starts to crack up and hear the ghosts of the other toys giving her warnings against dust? Abandoned and alone she *now* starts thinking about having a little girl to love her. On the night of the performance, Ilyana finally gets fed up with Mary Jane when she hints she looks just like the doll and then starts on her Daddy finding her. Ilyana tells her to shut up and shoves her (bout time) but Mary Anne retaliates by tearing her tutu. She confesses to Mrs. Taffy how much she hates Mary Jane (and why). On stage, she comes close to reciting her lines but she pulls them off beautifully. Mary Jane tries to tattle on her, but Ms. Taffy tells her to be more concerned about her own lines. On Christmas, Ilyanna gets a bunch of things in her stocking but most importantly dance lessons. And Noelle. It turns out Bruce was Ms, Taffy’s fiancée and he remembered Ilyana’s performance and thought she looked like the doll. So he asked the ballet company could he give the doll to her.
My Thoughts: I GOT IT! I know who this doll (Noelle) reminds me of. Ironically, it’s not the traded French doll in the story. It’s Babette from (I think the name of it is) The Adventures of Raggedy Anne and Andy. Babette is a beautiful French doll that kind of turns her nose up at the other dolls when they try to be friendly with her. But then by the end of the movie when she’s the one doing the kidnapping (of the Captain) something happens (this part is HAZY even if you’ve just watched it) and then she decides that she’s grateful for the love of all the other dolls and the Captain. Much like Noelle who it took being tossed aside to realize that *she* needed the love of a little girl. Only Babette caused a lot of trouble, Still kinda similar. It was a cute story! Ilana’s dream of wanting to be a dancer reminded me of a record book I had when I was a child called “Tina the Ballerina” (Amazingly as old as this record was I found it on YouTube). It also reminded me of pictures I took when I took ballet as a child. But I’m jealous because in the pictures I just had a simple black unitard. I never got a pink corset and tutu so I have a bad case of envy over these costumes. Even the doll’s costume! Very pretty doll. When I was a little girl I probably would have loved to have a doll like that. Lol I confess I was like Mary Jane. I had every kind of doll you could think of. But it would have been cool to have a line of doll ballerinas with different costumes!
Rating: 7
Plot: An independent ballerina doll, doesn’t want an owner. She just wants to dance. All the other toys want a kid. Noelle wants to be discovered. Iyana (a little girl) is simultaneously dreaming of dancing in a ballet. Illyana is excited because her class is taking a field trip to Mr. Bugle’s Toy Store. Her sister (Patricia) isn’t impressed because *her* class gets to see the Nutcracker ballet. Deep down Iyanna wishes she was Natasha Petrovna -her alter ego a very skilled ballerina- but her apartment isn’t big enough to practice the moves. Iyanna is stuck with this girl Mary Jane who likes to brag about the dolls she has (when they’re looking at all the dolls). Then Ilyanna sees Noelle and it’s love at first sight. Only Mary Jane wants her too. The store owner says she cost 175.00 and that she’s special because she can do all five ballet positions. Later on, the teacher asks what they most liked and Iyana says the doll. Mary Jane brings up that having the doll is not a thing (she’s secretly Veruca Sault). A man named Bruce Jennings a prop man for a ballet company-comes and buys Noelle for the production the Nutcracker and she’s happy because she thinks she’s been discovered to dance in the Nutcracker. (Really, she’ll just be sitting on stage). Mary Jane is scheming on ways to get Noelle so Iyanna won’t get her. Veruca (I mean Mary Jane) throws a fit when (Mr. Salt) her Dad buys her a doll and refuses to get her another and her mom (Mrs. Salt) convinces him to take her to Bugles. Mrs. Taffy announces a Christmas pageant and all the kids get to pick what they want to be -in the spirit of Christmas-. Iyanna choses to be a ballerina doll but then because Mary Jane points out it’s not alive says she’ll be a ballerina. Then Mary Jane says she’ll be one too. Illyana ends up going to the ballet in her sister’s place because she gets sick stuffing herself with Christmas treats. Illyana notices Noelle on stage when she’s given “magic glasses”. Neither Patricia nor the girls at school believe it’s the same doll. One of the girls suggests going back to the store, but Mary Jane steps out of the shadows and says she’s not there (she went back to buy her). Then she thanks Ilana for telling her where she was because her Dad is on the Board of Directors of the Ballet, (I seriously wanna hit this girl with a snowball). Noelle gets traded for a French doll and stuffed on a shelf in a dark room by Bruce (who takes pity on her). But she starts to crack up and hear the ghosts of the other toys giving her warnings against dust? Abandoned and alone she *now* starts thinking about having a little girl to love her. On the night of the performance, Ilyana finally gets fed up with Mary Jane when she hints she looks just like the doll and then starts on her Daddy finding her. Ilyana tells her to shut up and shoves her (bout time) but Mary Anne retaliates by tearing her tutu. She confesses to Mrs. Taffy how much she hates Mary Jane (and why). On stage, she comes close to reciting her lines but she pulls them off beautifully. Mary Jane tries to tattle on her, but Ms. Taffy tells her to be more concerned about her own lines. On Christmas, Ilyanna gets a bunch of things in her stocking but most importantly dance lessons. And Noelle. It turns out Bruce was Ms, Taffy’s fiancée and he remembered Ilyana’s performance and thought she looked like the doll. So he asked the ballet company could he give the doll to her.
My Thoughts: I GOT IT! I know who this doll (Noelle) reminds me of. Ironically, it’s not the traded French doll in the story. It’s Babette from (I think the name of it is) The Adventures of Raggedy Anne and Andy. Babette is a beautiful French doll that kind of turns her nose up at the other dolls when they try to be friendly with her. But then by the end of the movie when she’s the one doing the kidnapping (of the Captain) something happens (this part is HAZY even if you’ve just watched it) and then she decides that she’s grateful for the love of all the other dolls and the Captain. Much like Noelle who it took being tossed aside to realize that *she* needed the love of a little girl. Only Babette caused a lot of trouble, Still kinda similar. It was a cute story! Ilana’s dream of wanting to be a dancer reminded me of a record book I had when I was a child called “Tina the Ballerina” (Amazingly as old as this record was I found it on YouTube). It also reminded me of pictures I took when I took ballet as a child. But I’m jealous because in the pictures I just had a simple black unitard. I never got a pink corset and tutu so I have a bad case of envy over these costumes. Even the doll’s costume! Very pretty doll. When I was a little girl I probably would have loved to have a doll like that. Lol I confess I was like Mary Jane. I had every kind of doll you could think of. But it would have been cool to have a line of doll ballerinas with different costumes!
Rating: 7
February 3, 2019
A very sweet, believable story, for young children, about a girl and a doll, who both have very different dreams and desires, that eventually coincide in a happy-ever-after ending. Beautifully illustrated by Jan Brett. Recommended.
December 22, 2024
A girl in the third grade becomes obsessed with a ballerina doll. This becomes a rivalry with her wealthy classmate. Situations are not well written and are overly dramatic. First weekly reader book I did not enjoy.
January 1, 2025
A very sweet story with lovely illustrations
January 15, 2025
Absolutely adorable and the artwork is amazing.
February 19, 2012
Noelle of the Nutcracker by Pamela Jane (with illustrations by the inimitable Jan Brett) is one of those books that I seem to have had forever. Copyrighted in 1986, my hardcover copy has been on my bedroom bookshelf since before I can remember. Needless to say that I did not remember much of the story. Happily, though, it is a fast read and I was able to finish it in a day. I dare say there are families somewhere who read this book every Christmas season the way others read Twas the Night Before Christmas and A Christmas Carol (if not, there should be).
There are two main characters in this book. One is a doll named Noelle and the other is a little girl, Ilyana. At the beginning of the story, the characters have one thing in common: they both think Noelle is wonderful.
When Ilyana and her second grade class go to visit Bugle’s toy store, Ilyana is captivated by Noelle the beautiful ballerina doll that can stand in all five ballet positions and even has jointed knees and ankles. Ilyana knows her family could never afford such an expensive doll, which is fine. At least until spoiled Mary Jane decides vows that she’ll get Noelle for Christmas from her rich father.
Unbeknownst to either little girl, Noelle doesn’t want to be owned by anyone. While the other toys dream of being loved and held by real children, Noelle yearns to be discovered and become a dancer on stage. Noelle knows she is destined for fame when a man comes into Bugle’s and buys Noelle to be a part of a production of the Nutcracker ballet. But, as Noelle painfully learns, being discovered doesn’t always mean fame. And it almost never takes the place of being loved.
Noelle’s story is intertwined seamlessly with Ilyana’s and, to a lesser extent, Mary Jane’s. As the girls get ready for their school pageant, it becomes clear that sometimes it takes more than money to make a wish come true. Sometimes, especially at Christmas, it also takes a little magic (and in this case maybe a few coincidences).
Sometimes when I read books with a child character they feel too young–I’m sure a child would enjoy them but sometimes I have a hard time relating to them on the same level of enjoyment. This book is not like that. The story is short and easy to follow, but it remained enjoyable for me reading it at the age of twenty-two. Jan Brett’s illustrations also, of course, add a lot of dimension to the story (although being familiar with Brett’s color-illustrated picture books I was a little sad to see the drawings were not in color). After reading the story and once again turning to the cover it’s amazing to see how perfectly Brett captured Pamela Jane’s vision of Noelle.
This is one of those classic Christmas stories (like the one that I mentioned earlier) that offers a nice shot of holiday spirit along with a message that’s worth remembering all year.
There are two main characters in this book. One is a doll named Noelle and the other is a little girl, Ilyana. At the beginning of the story, the characters have one thing in common: they both think Noelle is wonderful.
When Ilyana and her second grade class go to visit Bugle’s toy store, Ilyana is captivated by Noelle the beautiful ballerina doll that can stand in all five ballet positions and even has jointed knees and ankles. Ilyana knows her family could never afford such an expensive doll, which is fine. At least until spoiled Mary Jane decides vows that she’ll get Noelle for Christmas from her rich father.
Unbeknownst to either little girl, Noelle doesn’t want to be owned by anyone. While the other toys dream of being loved and held by real children, Noelle yearns to be discovered and become a dancer on stage. Noelle knows she is destined for fame when a man comes into Bugle’s and buys Noelle to be a part of a production of the Nutcracker ballet. But, as Noelle painfully learns, being discovered doesn’t always mean fame. And it almost never takes the place of being loved.
Noelle’s story is intertwined seamlessly with Ilyana’s and, to a lesser extent, Mary Jane’s. As the girls get ready for their school pageant, it becomes clear that sometimes it takes more than money to make a wish come true. Sometimes, especially at Christmas, it also takes a little magic (and in this case maybe a few coincidences).
Sometimes when I read books with a child character they feel too young–I’m sure a child would enjoy them but sometimes I have a hard time relating to them on the same level of enjoyment. This book is not like that. The story is short and easy to follow, but it remained enjoyable for me reading it at the age of twenty-two. Jan Brett’s illustrations also, of course, add a lot of dimension to the story (although being familiar with Brett’s color-illustrated picture books I was a little sad to see the drawings were not in color). After reading the story and once again turning to the cover it’s amazing to see how perfectly Brett captured Pamela Jane’s vision of Noelle.
This is one of those classic Christmas stories (like the one that I mentioned earlier) that offers a nice shot of holiday spirit along with a message that’s worth remembering all year.
October 22, 2011
Look, I was really sad and really stressed and went back to a childhood favorite that is almost in season, okay? Sadly, OPPL's copy got canceled in the last year or two, but I did discover that this is still in print, so yay.
So: Ilyana falls in love with a ballet doll, but mean rich girl Mary Jane is determined to get it so that Ilyana won't. POVs range from Ilyana to Mary Jane to the doll Noelle to ballet set dresser Bruce. Will Noelle realize her dream of being a ballerina? Will Mary Jane win again? I adored this book as a kid - with Christmas, the doll and the ballet dancing, it had pretty much everything I loved. It's still super adorable, with added creepiness for Mary Jane and her astoundingly bitchy mother. That one scene felt very Dynasty to me, heh.
Originally read 1987.
So: Ilyana falls in love with a ballet doll, but mean rich girl Mary Jane is determined to get it so that Ilyana won't. POVs range from Ilyana to Mary Jane to the doll Noelle to ballet set dresser Bruce. Will Noelle realize her dream of being a ballerina? Will Mary Jane win again? I adored this book as a kid - with Christmas, the doll and the ballet dancing, it had pretty much everything I loved. It's still super adorable, with added creepiness for Mary Jane and her astoundingly bitchy mother. That one scene felt very Dynasty to me, heh.
Originally read 1987.
January 4, 2022
Of my two youngers, one doesn't like it (too long in her opinion) and one LOVES it and doesn't want to return it to the library. It is a nice story. Personally, I would give it 3 stars, but the appeal to its target audience gave it a boost.
February 24, 2012
I have read this book every year around Christmas for a long time. It is a wonderful book, a classic.
January 4, 2016
Such a charming delightful story I grew up with as a girl and read every Christmas (sometimes other seasons as well)!
February 4, 2015
One of my favorites as a child, I'm loving reading it to my daughter. We even named her "Elf on a Shelf" Noelle!!!
October 6, 2014
I was drawn to this book because I like Jan Brett's illustrations and the title of the book has my daughter's name. The story was okay and the illustrations okay.
January 17, 2015
Loved this book as a little girl. Made me want to see the Nutcracker too. Loved the pretty costumes.
December 8, 2017
I was disappointed. The story has a bully in it, and the issue is never addressed. I would skip this read even though it's short, and for chapter book readers. Just blah.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews