The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Hoffmann, E. T. A.

The Nutcracker

32 pp. | North-South | September, 2016 | Trade ISBN 978-0-7358-4270-0 $19.95
Reissue (2004)

(2) K-3 Retold by Susanne Koppe. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. Devotees of the ballet version may be surprised by the layers of fantasy and reality in this skillful distillation of the much longer original story. Zwerger's elegant full-page watercolors capture the tone of the story, and her uncluttered compositions focus on specific characters and objects, rewarding the careful observer with details that foreshadow and illuminate the multifaceted story.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2004