The Nutcracker Ballet Theatre

Features

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Cover Type: Paperback with 12 pages
• Published by: Candlewick September 9, 2004
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0763624535
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0763624538
• Book Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.9 x 2.1 inches
• Weighs: 1 pounds

Product Description
This charming miniature theater invites children to create their own Nutcracker ballet — with the help of toy dancers to twirl, backdrops to change, a CD of musical selections, and a guide to staging scenes.

For every child who has ever imagined flying off with Clara to the Land of Sweets — and for every child ready to be transported to the magical realm of THE NUTCRACKER for the first time — this beribboned theater is the ultimate gift. Inside you'll find:

- A mini stage with changeable backdrops and scenery
- Six main characters on sticks, for twirling onstage
- Ten more characters available on punch-out sheets
- A booklet retelling the story of THE NUTCRACKER and offering scene-by-scene staging instructions
- A CD of musical selections from THE NUTCRACKER score
- Intriguing facts about ballet history, Tchaikovsky, and Christmas traditions
- Even a recipe for making sugar plums!

About The Author
Jean Mahoney is the author of three books for adults on Japanese
architecture and design. She has led a nomadic life and first had the
inspiration for the NUTCRACKER project while living in Vienna, where she attended the opera and often lamented over the dull librettos. She says, "There¹s nothing like sitting in a darkened theater when suddenly the orchestra pit lights up, and the sound of the instruments tuning up washes over the audience. THE NUTCRACKER BALLET THEATRE is that memory made tangible, a magical moment in miniature."

Viola Ann Seddon grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where her childhood
revolved around the performing arts, ballet, and opera. She has fond
memories of seeing THE NUTCRACKER ballet over and over again, memories that she combined with her love of doll-making to produce THE NUTCRACKER BALLET THEATRE. "I have sewn, painted, and dressed the performers in this set, and since Clara is the leading lady, she resembles my first childhood doll," she says. "I have spent a large part of my life making dolls, which invariably take on lives of their own." The illustrator of two children's books, Viola Ann Seddon currently lives in London.

Reader Reviews
The idea is cute, but it is difficult to use. The background scences get all bent after removing them several times, the characters do not stand on their own very well, the music CD is short and sweet and the book is o.k. Personally I would save your money and purchase something more useful.