"Gregory Maguire returns with an inventive novel inspired by a timeless holiday legend, intertwining the story of the famous Nutcracker with the life of the mysterious toy maker named Drosselmeier who carves him."--Amazon.com.

Young Marie Stahlbaum falls in love with the handsome nutcracker Godfather Drosselmeier gives her family as a Christmas gift, and has adventures with him as he faces the monstrous, seven-headed Mouse King.

"When a young girl rescues her nutcracker from an attack by mice, the nutcracker becomes a prince and takes her to see the Snow King and Queen, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and waltzing flowers. Includes reading activities and a word list"--

After rescuing her Christmas nutcracker from an army of angry toys, Clara is rewarded by the nutcracker, now a prince, with a fantastic nighttime journey to a realm of dancing fairies, beautiful palaces, and wonderful things to eat.

From an imperial-era Russian Christmas party, a young girl named Clara is whisked in her dreams to an imaginary world populated by the animated creations of the wizard toy maker Drosselmeier. Clara innocently develops a crush on the imaginary Nutcracker prince. Upon her arrival in the Land of the Sweets, she dances a yearning pas de deux with the Nutcracker Prince. It makes the ballet far more interesting. The frequent involvement of Drosselmeyer...

After hearing how the toy nutcracker that she and her brother received for Christmas got his ugly face, Marie helps break the spell he is under and watches him change into a handsome prince. Illustrated notes throughout the text explain the historical background of the story.

Experience the classic holiday tale of the Nutcracker brought to life like you have never seen it before. This all-new film features a highly-acclaimed cast. Join Mary on a magical adventure when her toy nutcracker comes to life and whisks her away to a magical kingdom filled with fantastical toys, sugar plums and dancing fairies. Mary soon discovers the evil Rat King is threatening the kingdom.

Journeyman toymaker Stefan Drosselmeyer is recruited by his mysterious cousin, Christian, to find a mythical nut that will save Boldavia's princess and his own kidnapped father from a fanatical Mouse Queen and her seven-headed Mouse Prince, who have sworn to destroy the Drosselmeyer family.

Relates the story of the popular ballet in which a little girl's love for the Nutcracker brings him to life.