Nutcracker Night

by Mireille Messier, Gabrielle Grimard (Illustrations)

Discover the sights, sounds and magic of a night at the ballet that will prepare even the youngest of children for their first theatrical experience

Beep! Beep! go the taxis. Voof! go the velvet curtains. The Nutcracker ballet and New York City's David H. Koch Theater come to life in this onomatopoeic representation of a little girl's experience at the ballet. From the swish of her dress and the tick-tick-tick of the conductor's baton to the twelve bongs of the clock and the pitter-patter of dancers' feet, this special evening is filled with sensory treats for the eyes and especially the ears. And did she enjoy the ballet? The answer is a big smooch on her father's cheek.

Written by Mireille Messier, Nutcracker Night is a celebration of a Christmas classic that is often a child's first experience of the ballet. Award-winning illustrator Gabrielle Grimard infuses each scene with warm holiday colors and a richness that will make young readers feel they are really there. An author's note enriches the text with further information and a brief summary of the famous ballet.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Fiction, Storytime, Music

36 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2019

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply delightful! The onomatopoeic take on a girl's experience of seeing the Nutcracker Ballet at the theater with her father is fun, fresh, and spot-on. The excitement and magic of the theater shines through. I chuckled at a few parts, nodded in agreement with others, and smiled a warm smile at the last page. I grew up with ballet and theater and it makes me so happy to see books like this.

As a Nutcracker aficionado I did wince a bit when the story called Clara/Marie "the girl" and Fritz "the boy" and the Nutcracker "the doll" -- I suppose it's perhaps aiming for more universal appeal and children who aren't familiar with the ballet already. That said, it still might be a little confusing for children who don't already know the story (sudden appearance of a three-headed Mouse King and toy soldiers, Spanish dancers, etc-- just feels very random if you don't know the plot) so I might suggest that adults share the back matter FIRST as it is a short synopsis of the Nutcracker ballet's story and would give children a better understanding for what our little protagonist sees when she attends the ballet with her father.

I recommend this lovely and lively story to all fans of ballet and theater, and especially as a fresh and welcome take on stories about The Nutcracker.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My youngest daughter and my husband have a nutcracker tradition every holiday season. They read books about The Nutcracker, watch various performances online, give each other nutcracker themed gifts, do nutcracker crafts and more. I was thrilled to see this book to preview with her since it has a Nutcracker theme. It's actually pretty young for her, but I'm sure she'll enjoy the artwork and the general theme.

The artwork is stunning in this picture book that tells the story of a little girl and her father attending a performance of The Nutcracker. Each page just tells sounds that various things make (GRRR GRRR GRRR goes the Mouse King / SHWAP SHWAP SHWAP go the soldiers...) so this is suited for very young kids. It's a great addition to the books about the nutcracker though. I love that the child and her father are Asian and that the audience also has lots of diversity. It's also nice that it has a father/daughter theme. And as mentioned, the art is beautiful.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

When my daughter was very young, the Nutcracker was what I brought her to every Xmas Eve. She would dress up, and we would go up to San Francisco, and watch this magical ballet.

This book has a young girl going to the ballet, and enjoying the whole performance, but the story is told by the sights and sounds and bits of things, rather then telling the story of the ballet itself, this is more of how the audience sees it.



Nicely done, and a good introduction to get kids interested in this lovely and very familiar ballet.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Danielle Bailleu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun read about the sights and sounds of seeing the Nutcracker ballet. Lovely illustrations. This is a book I could definitely see myself reading to my young daughters and they would enjoy it. My only criticism is I wish there was more of a story line about the ballet.

This book was given to me an an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are beautiful!

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about a girl going to the ballet that focuses on all the sounds of the theater experience ("Voof! Go the velvet curtains," "Grr! Grr! Growls the Mouse King," etc). A wonderful, reminiscent book for families like mine who grew up in the ballet and theater world and know the Nutcracker story forwards and backwards. Might require lots of pauses for explanation for kids that aren't familiar with how the story of the "The Nutcracker" progresses, though.

[Tarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A picture book based on the sounds of attending an on-stage performance of The Nutcracker (which is a wonderful Christmas staple in itself). And my, is this an ingenious plot for a children's book. What a fabulous way of introducing The Nutcracker to even the littlest of your young readers.

LOVE THIS BOOK! It's a lot of fun.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest opinion.

[Erin]

Soooo much onomatopoeia. A glorious rendition of a night out at the ballet with a short note about The Nutcracker in the back.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book, and the patterning it provides. This would be the perfect book to read with a child under the age of 7 or so, especially before they go to their first live theatre event. With an economy of words, Messier has brilliantly captured the sights and sounds an adult might take for granted but a child would be entranced by. Grimard's fresh and inviting artwork is perfectly matched for the text, focusing on the whimsical theatrical details that will delight a child on that first visit. This is a book a child will go back to time and again.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this simplified version of the Nutcracker story

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

As a music teacher, I was particularly interested in this title. I have a number of Nutcracker picture books, and have read many others, and this one is very different from the others. The story of the Nutcracker itself isn't quite told, but rather, this is the story of a trip to see the ballet, told largely through onomatopoeia. I know several teachers who would find it particularly useful for sound stories. It's a nice book for little ones.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who have seen the Nutcracker, this will give it a whole new take! Using sounds to convey the experience the ballet and using very minimal words. The illustrations aid in telling the story from a whole new perspective! I think anyone who has seen the ballet will appreciate this adaptation of it, especially children! Love the illustrations, too!

I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A father takes his underage daughter to see a ballet featuring a hallucinatory compilation of broken toys, mutated rats, and children fleeing a woman’s oversized skirt. ✨
✨
But seriously,rhythmic, onomatopoeia breathes new life into the classic ballet (& pushes my husband’s sound effects to all new levels). Coupled with its dreamy water colored illustrations, this is sure to be a holiday hit with little ones (it certainly was with ours!)

[Victoria Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very darling book! My daughters loved it. It was a clever way to get them interested and familiar with the Nutcracker ballet and also the idea of going to the theater!

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how this was about the anticipation/tradition/excitement of seeing "The Nutcracker" and not a re-telling of it. Makes me want to see it again!

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would suggest this book for very young learning to read because of the short and "noisy" sentences + words plus they can dazzle at the beautiful illustrations!

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always impressed when an author can take a familiar topic and put a unique twist on it. I have a lot of Nutcracker books in my Christmas book collection but none like this one. This tells the story of a little girl who goes to see the Nutcracker with her dad, nothing novel there, but it tells the story mostly through sounds. It captures the Nutcracker experience in a completely different way. The swish of her new dress. The “pickle-dee zing!” of the orchestra warming up. The sounds of the audience responding to the show. It’s a fun way to describe the experience and so child appropriate. The sparse, active text is paired with soft, warm illustrations. Together they bring to life this experience through the eyes of a child brilliantly.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this take on the Nutcracker as it only uses sounds in books. This book really helps with vocabulary in books in showing that you can use sounds in literature. My kids loved this book in that it was simple and not over the top but get the point across. The illustrations go along with the story but also tell a story more in depth then the words. The illustrations are colorful and really draw the attention to them. My kids really liked this book and was able to read it on their own as well as me read it to them.

[Steven Copp · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who grew up watching NYCB's Nutcracker, this book was delightful! If you're taking your child to see the Nutcracker for the first time (either at NYCB or elsewhere), this would be a charming pre-show read!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many youngsters and adults associate the Christmas holiday season with the classic ballet, The Nutcracker, and eagerly anticipate attending local performances. In this picture book, a young girl attends the ballet for the very first time and is mesmerized by the music, the dance, the costumes, and even the other members of the audience. Created with watercolor, gouache, oil, colored pencil, and digital media, the illustrations are filled with movement and the love between a father and his daughter as they share this special experience. Each page relies on onomatopoeia to bring the adventure to life, from the moment they set off for the performance in a taxi to the conclusion of the day with a kiss of gratitude on the father's cheek. It's little moments like this one that make cherished memories. I liked how the little girl clutched her own replica of the nutcracker in several scenes. Parents and caregivers might want to share this book before taking their own youngsters to the ballet since it prepares them for the experience.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not what I was expecting, and I was pleasantly surprised. I thought it was going to be a picture book depicting the play. It wasn't. I took my time reading it, and imagined reading it aloud to little ones. Wonderful!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our family has a tradition of attending the Nutcracker each holiday season so I absolutely loved this unique story of this beautiful ballet. This book explores the sounds and noises of having this experience which is so unique. I also loved the beautiful illustrations!

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good picture book for winter holiday storytimes, goes through a Nutcracker performance in sound effects.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

NUTCRACKER NIGHT follows a little girl and her family as they're off to experience an exciting Christmas event. They are on their way to see the famous Nutcracker play and she's so excited. There's always magic surrounding the Nutcracker ballet, but not many people think of the sounds go along with it.

The illustrations are stunning and the text is very easy to read. Instead of talking about the ballet like most books do, NUTCRACKER NIGHT focuses on the different sounds you'll hear there. While I like the unique take on this traditional play, it did take away from the magic we usually see with the dancers. Some of the sounds feel a bit odd to say and that brings a bit of humor into it. I do like the family feel to this book, especially when she kisses her dad's cheek.


Final Verdict: NUTCRACKER NIGHT is a cute book full of holiday tradition that I would recommend to younger children who are still learning sounds and for those looking for a simple read.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl and her father attend the nutcracker ballet. The girl describes their trip by noticing all of the different sounds around her-from the melodious playing of the orchestra, to the swish of the curtains and even the snoring of an audience member. The illustrations do their pet in helping to tell the story, and it’s a fun look at a well known story with a new perspective. Focusing on a different sense than usual changes it up enough to make the story interesting. I wish there was a bit more to the story though, because it does get to feeing a bit like a list. Some more interesting connections would’ve made it more enjoyable.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book about the magic of going to the theater to see THE NUTCRACKER. The illustrations have lots of red and gold in them (colors of the season). The words capture all the sounds you would hear on such a night from loud anticipation to the reverent hush. The book is infused with the excitement and joy of such an evening. This book was a wonderful conversation starter at story time...adults wanted to speak about their magical interactions with the play, also. Wonderful!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun book. A different take on the Nutcracker. Love the sounds in the book as the little girl goes to the ballet to see the Nutcracker. Great pictures.

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book written in verse! The story is the story of the Nutcracker but expressed in different sounds. I really loved this rendition. I highly recommend this book to kids of all ages especially during the holiday season.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very few words, just rhyming, but cute!

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3