The Nutcracker
by words&pictures; illustrated by Cynthia Alonso
Series: Step Into...
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group – words & pictures
Publication date: November 17, 2020
Available as: board book
Pages: 12
Suggested tags: baby & toddler, Christmas, classics
From the publisher:
"Step inside the classic story of The Nutcracker. With gentle, engaging text, beautiful illustrations, die cut and layered pages, all of which encourage the reader to interact with the book and turn each page to delight in the increasingly expansive spreads."
I love reading Nutcracker retellings. It's just such a classic, dreamy story and I love seeing how different authors and illustrators choose to interpret it. This version is kind of a simplified, modernized Nutcracker, and it's super cute!
This board book is formed from die-cut pages, giving you just a peek of each page visible from the front of the book. As you turn each page, a bit more of the story is revealed.
This version also feels very fresh and contemporary. The illustrations are simple yet beautiful with vibrant colors. Marie (aka: Clara) wears two-piece rainbow-print PJs instead of a frilly dress, something that many little readers themselves might be wearing while they read this. The Sugar Plum Fairy and her dancers add some diversity to the story.
The story is condensed and there is only a sentence or two on each page,
which I think is perfect for a board book audience. It's a quick
introduction to The Nutcracker to get little ones familiar
with and interested in the story. I think the mix of the artwork, the simple text, and the die-cut pages will definitely make this a hit with tiny readers!
Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself and I would definitely recommend it to others.
My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own;
