(3) 4-6 Adapted by Natalie Andrewson. Illustrated by Natalie Andrewson. This telling follows Hoffmann's original story, which is a lot more involved--and trippy--than the popular ballet adaptation. The graphic novel format works well to convey and contain that weirdness; Andrewson's accessible cartoon illustrations help mitigate the tale's scarier moments (Drosselmeier on the clock, the Mouse King). In an author's note, Andrewson discusses her approach to the oft-told story: "I was completely sucked into this dark, bizarre story with a girl's imagination at its core... I connected deeply with Marie in the moments when she was forced to hide her dream world within herself."

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn