‘How could you imagine, silly child, that this toy, which is made of cloth and wood, could possibly be alive?’

The nutcracker doll that mysterious Godfather Drosselmeyer gives to little Marie for Christmas is no ordinary toy. On Christmas Eve, as the clocks strike midnight, Marie watches as the Nutcracker and her entire cabinet of playthings come to life and boldly do battle against the malevolent Mouse King and his armies.

But this is only the start of the tale.

Read on for enchantment and transformation; enter a world by turns fantastical and sinister, a kingdom of dolls and spun-sugar palaces, and learn the true history of the brave little Nutcracker.

Adapted from a dark fairy-tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann, Alexandre Dumas’ romance of childhood imagination inspired Tchaikovsky’s world-famous ballet. Brilliantly adapted by translator Sarah Ardizzone and illuminated by Kitty Arden, this is the perfect Christmas gift for readers of all ages.

Translated by: Sarah Ardizzone