The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Messier, Mireille

Nutcracker Night

40 pp. | Pajama | November, 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-77278-091-8 $19.95

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. A little girl's experience of attending this quintessential Christmas ballet is told through its sounds: "Voof! go the velvet curtains." "Snap! goes the doll." Soft mixed-media illustrations depict the girl and her father making their way to Lincoln Center and into the theater, then capture vignettes of the production (and intermission). Both a good primer and, for those familiar with it, a fresh take on a classic.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019