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The Nutcracker
A classic Christmas fairy tale retold with breathtaking illustrations by An Leysen! Perfect for storytime during the Holiday season. It’s Christmas Eve and Clara and her brother Fritz are excited! Every year, uncle Drosselmeier brings them special Christmas gifts. This year, Clara gets a wooden soldier. It’s a nutcracker and Fritz thinks he looks a bit silly, but Clara falls in love with his big and kind eyes. And that night, she discovers her new friend can do a lot more than just crack nuts. He used to be a brave soldier who fell in love with a real princess…. In this magical picture book, An Leysen gives the classic Christmas story by E.T.A. Hoffmann a new look. Her evocative art will transport you to the wonderful world of the mean mouse king and the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy. For children ages 5 years and up, and for everyone who loves fairy tales!
42 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
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61 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 12, 2019
Belgian author and artist An Leysen, who has retold such fairy-tales as
Beauty and the Beast
and
Baba Yaga
, here turns her attention to the classic Christmas story of The Nutcracker. When Clara is given a toy nutcracker by her Uncle Drosselmeier on Christmas Eve, she is soon involved in a fantastical adventure in which she learns the story of Princess Pierlepat, travels to a magical land of sweets, and helps to break an old curse that has trapped a brave soldier inside the nutcracker's body...
Leysen seems to have based her presentation of The Nutcracker more on the original story, as told by E.T.A. Hoffmann (and then Alexandre Dumas, père), than on the later ballet. She has included the back story, explaining how the Nutcracker came to be cursed, and focuses more on the resolution of that story, than on the visit to the land of sweets, which is only briefly described. Here the Sugar Plum Fairy's role is largely that of lifting the curse. Given that all of this is so, I was surprised that Leysen used the name Clara for her heroine, rather than Marie, as the former is associated almost exclusively with the ballet, and the latter with the original fairy-tale. However that may be, I enjoyed this telling, and I enjoyed the gorgeous artwork, which alternates between beautifully colorful spreads and those done in a sort of sepia-toned outline. Recommended to fans of the artist, and to anyone looking for beautiful picture-book presentations of this story.
Leysen seems to have based her presentation of The Nutcracker more on the original story, as told by E.T.A. Hoffmann (and then Alexandre Dumas, père), than on the later ballet. She has included the back story, explaining how the Nutcracker came to be cursed, and focuses more on the resolution of that story, than on the visit to the land of sweets, which is only briefly described. Here the Sugar Plum Fairy's role is largely that of lifting the curse. Given that all of this is so, I was surprised that Leysen used the name Clara for her heroine, rather than Marie, as the former is associated almost exclusively with the ballet, and the latter with the original fairy-tale. However that may be, I enjoyed this telling, and I enjoyed the gorgeous artwork, which alternates between beautifully colorful spreads and those done in a sort of sepia-toned outline. Recommended to fans of the artist, and to anyone looking for beautiful picture-book presentations of this story.
December 15, 2018
«Лускунчик», тобто його повна версія, - одна з моїх улюблених історій з дитинства. Пам‘ятаю, навіть мультфільм (не діснеївський чи типу того), який часто не відпускав моє дитяче серце. Тому, мабуть, і придбала це адаптоване видання з гарнющими ілюстраціями в надії, що сину сподобається.
Що я можу сказати? Тепер я дуже хочу перечитати знову повну історію, один з примірників якої, на щастя, поряд (інший в домашній бібліотеці вдома у батьків), чим, мабуть, і займуся у святковий період. А ще я дуже настроєна була передивитися цьогорічну екранізацію, але щось відгуки і рецензії на неї відштовхують. Тому дасться чути.
Що я можу сказати? Тепер я дуже хочу перечитати знову повну історію, один з примірників якої, на щастя, поряд (інший в домашній бібліотеці вдома у батьків), чим, мабуть, і займуся у святковий період. А ще я дуже настроєна була передивитися цьогорічну екранізацію, але щось відгуки і рецензії на неї відштовхують. Тому дасться чути.
January 26, 2018
Tohle je velká nádhera :)! A vyšlo jich česky už několik!
December 27, 2024
An absolutely adorable book!!!
We head to the opera in a month with my 8 y.o son to see the Nutcracker ballet, so I wanted to get us acquainted with the story prior to that. This book certainly exceeded my expectations and won our hearts :)
A classical story to enjoy during the Christmas time especially.
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5 years later - watching the ballet performance from the Youtube and rereading this cute book.
Still love the story and the beautiful illustrations. The Nutcracker being one of my most beloved ballets for the music and the variety of the dances.
We head to the opera in a month with my 8 y.o son to see the Nutcracker ballet, so I wanted to get us acquainted with the story prior to that. This book certainly exceeded my expectations and won our hearts :)
A classical story to enjoy during the Christmas time especially.
---
5 years later - watching the ballet performance from the Youtube and rereading this cute book.
Still love the story and the beautiful illustrations. The Nutcracker being one of my most beloved ballets for the music and the variety of the dances.
December 21, 2020
Ya sé que a lo mejor estoy siendo imparcial porque es de mis cuentos favoritos de la temporada pero es que en verdad amo el arte y cómo está escrita la historia. Y ya se que es para niños pero yo aún así lo disfruté mucho. ¡ Fue un abrazo a mi corazón !
January 5, 2019
Klasický příběh upraven spíše pro menší čtenáře s opravdu půvabnými ilustracemi.
Čteno v českém překladu - Louskáček.
Čteno v českém překladu - Louskáček.
February 8, 2020
Naprosto nadherne ilustrace a krásný příběh 😍
April 29, 2020
Imeilus jutustus lastele.
December 1, 2021
A beautifully done version - easy to read aloud.
December 18, 2021
Preciosa versión y bellísimas ilustraciones. Un regalo de una amiga querida que adoré.
Read
December 31, 2022The art is breathtaking 🩰
December 30, 2023
I love these illustrations.
April 15, 2024
O carte fascinanta, trista, dar cu un final neasteptat...
July 24, 2024
No conozco la historia original, pero esta edición me hizo desear comprarme el libro y leerlo.
Las ilustraciones son hermosas pero las ilustraciones a blanco y negro son aun mejores.
Las ilustraciones son hermosas pero las ilustraciones a blanco y negro son aun mejores.
December 11, 2023
Kui jõululugudest rääkida, siis meenub mulle esimesena millegipärast alati just Pähklipureja. Nüüd seda lugema asudes hakkasin mõtlema, kas ma seda kunagi üldse raamatuna lugenud olengi. Lihtsalt jõuluetenduste ja muu sarnase kraami põhjal on oma mulje ja arusaam kujunenud. Lugedes leidsin end mõtisklemas selle üle, kuivõrd ajatu see jõululugu nüüd ikkagi on ja kas ta on pigem armas või õudne. Ilmselt vist veidi mõlemat ja võiks endiselt mõnusaks jõululugemiseks sobida.
January 17, 2020
Väga kaunite illustratsioonidega lasteraamat.
January 17, 2017
Ένα καθυστερημένο δώρο Χριστουγέννων, από τα ωραιότερα που έλαβα για φέτος. Μια πολύ γλυκιά χειρονομία από κάποιον που με άκουσε και έδωσε προσοχή στην ατέρμονη φλυαρία μου.
Το βιβλίο υστερεί κάπως σε κείμενο-δεν περιέχει το πρωτότυπο του Ε.Τ.Α Χόφμαν αλλά μια συντομευμένη αν και σίγουρα όχι σύντομη εκδοχή της ιστορίας- πρόκειται άλλωστε για διασκευή της Αν Λέυσεν, έχει ωστόσο πολύ όμορφη και ευαίσθητη θα έλεγα εικονογράφηση με απαλά σχήματα και χρώματα, ιδανική πιστεύω για παιδιά... και για μένα το αιώνιο παιδί.
Παραπονιόμουν ότι δεν υπάρχουν πολλές εκδοχές του Καρυοθραύστη διαθέσιμες στην Ελλάδα/στα ελληνικά, όμως πέρυσι το Νοέμβρη και το Δεκέμβρη κυκλοφόρησαν ευτυχώς αρκετές. Και τώρα έχω δύο!
Το βιβλίο υστερεί κάπως σε κείμενο-δεν περιέχει το πρωτότυπο του Ε.Τ.Α Χόφμαν αλλά μια συντομευμένη αν και σίγουρα όχι σύντομη εκδοχή της ιστορίας- πρόκειται άλλωστε για διασκευή της Αν Λέυσεν, έχει ωστόσο πολύ όμορφη και ευαίσθητη θα έλεγα εικονογράφηση με απαλά σχήματα και χρώματα, ιδανική πιστεύω για παιδιά... και για μένα το αιώνιο παιδί.
Παραπονιόμουν ότι δεν υπάρχουν πολλές εκδοχές του Καρυοθραύστη διαθέσιμες στην Ελλάδα/στα ελληνικά, όμως πέρυσι το Νοέμβρη και το Δεκέμβρη κυκλοφόρησαν ευτυχώς αρκετές. Και τώρα έχω δύο!
April 26, 2017
O poveste clasică cu ilustrații minunate, pline de farmec.
Pentru mai multe detalii: https://goo.gl/cEtDfO
Pentru mai multe detalii: https://goo.gl/cEtDfO
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November 14, 2017Ro: Spargatorul de nuci
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews