Get ready to dive into the holiday season with these enchanting nutcracker books. Whether you’re looking for your next classroom read aloud or a bedtime story, these books will captivate the imaginations of kids of all ages.
You can click on any of the titles below to learn more about each of these nutcracker books or find all of these books on Amazon.
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Nutcracker Books for Kids
A Nutcracker in Harlem
by T. E. McMorrow
In this original retelling, set in New York City during the height of the Harlem Renaissance, one little girl finds her voice as a musician thanks to her enchanting adventures with a magical toy.
Jan Brett’s The Nutracker
by Jan Brett
When Marie and her brother Fritz receive a special Christmas nutcracker from their uncle, Marie immediately feels something magical. “He looks like a real boy,” she mused. “A real boy with a secret, who came from far away.”
This feeling is only the beginning of the epic adventure she goes on with the Nutcracker—into the cabinet, through the battle with the mice, and finally to the magical land of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Waltz of the Snowflakes
by Elly MacKay
It is a cold and rainy evening when Gran gives her granddaughter something special: tickets to the ballet. Her granddaughter is reluctant to go. The weather is terrible and they have to wear fancy, uncomfortable clothes. But as the curtains rise on The Nutcracker, the girl’s eyes light up as she’s introduced to the magic of the theater. The bright costumes, the intricate dances, the magical music, and a new friend all combine to captivate the girl and to bring color to an otherwise dreary evening.
Note – This is a wordless book.
Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite
by Anna Harwell Celenza
It’s a challenge to transform the “Nutcracker Suite’s” romantic orchestra into jumpin’ jazz melodies, but that’s exactly what Duke Ellington and his collaborator, Billy Strayhorn, did.
Ellington’s band members were not so sure that a classical ballet could become a cool-cat jazz number. But Duke and Billy, inspired by their travels and by musical styles past and present, infused the composition with Vegas glitz, Hollywood glamour, and even a little New York jazz.
The Night Before the Nutcracker
by John Robert Allman
’Twas the night before The Nutcracker and, sleepless in their beds,
these budding ballet dancers are rehearsing in their heads.
Children who dream of dancing in The Nutcracker will love this magical illustrated holiday story, told in the tradition of “The Night Before Christmas.” Four young girls and boys experience the thrills of auditions, rehearsals, costume fittings, and finally the big event: opening night! It’s a behind-the-scenes peek that will delight young dancers.
The Nutcracker’s Night Before Christmas
by Keith Brockett
In The Nutcracker’s Night Before Christmas preparations for a doomed stage production of the classic ballet goes from terribly bad to ridiculously worse. Sick stagehands, renegade cats, and crashing Christmas trees have everyone sure that the show won’t go on. But it’s Christmas Eve and help is on the way! Told in verse with wonderful whimsical illustrations, this story hits all the right notes for holiday reading.
Nutcracker Night
by Mireille Messier
Beep! Beep! go the taxis. Voof! go the velvet curtains. The Nutcracker ballet and New York City’s David H. Koch Theater come to life in this onomatopoeic representation of a little girl’s experience at the ballet. From the swish of her dress and the tick-tick-tick of the conductor’s baton to the twelve bongs of the clock and the pitter-patter of dancers’ feet, this special evening is filled with sensory treats for the eyes and especially the ears. And did she enjoy the ballet? The answer is a big smooch on her father’s cheek.
Zombelina Dances the Nutcracker
by Kristyn Crow
In another rhyming read-aloud tale full of delightful macabre humor Zombelina once again steals the show! This time Zombelina and her friend Lizzie are dancing in The Nutcracker. On the night of the big show, Zombelina is ready, but Grandpa Phantom has other plans for the opera house. Zombelina will need to think fast to save the show, and she’ll need Lizzie’s help. When best friends work together, the show will go on!
Charlotte and the Nutcracker
by Charlotte Nebres
The only thing Charlotte loves as much as ballet is Christmas. So, when she gets the opportunity to play Marie in the New York City Ballet’s The Nutcracker, she leaps at the chance.
Dancing takes practice-hours of adjusting her arms and perfecting her jumps. With the help of her Trinidadian and Filipino families, encouragement from her sister, and a view of her mom and dad in the audience, Charlotte finds the strength to never give up.
The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker
by Katy Flint
It is Christmas Eve at Clara’s house. Scents of ginger, chocolate, and peppermint waft through the air. Clara’s parents are having a party, and her little brother Fritz is decorating the Christmas tree. Clara’s godfather, a toymaker, arrives with gifts, including a very special one for her—a wooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a little man. After Fritz breaks it, the children are sent to bed.
The story follows Clara in her dreams as she battles and defeats a mouse king, then travels with her nutcracker-turned-prince to the Land of Sweets where she watches its enchanting inhabitants perform beautiful dances. As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the ballet’s music, including “The Waltz of the Flowers,” “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” “The Russian Dance,” and the awesome “Finale.”
The Nutcracker
by Alison Jay
Based on the Balanchine ballet, this sumptuous package is the perfect gift for any fan of The Nutcracker-young or old. The nicely balanced text (not too much, not too little) captures all the best moments and sets the stage for Alison Jay’s richly imagined art. Sharp-eyed readers will notice tiny details playing out thrillingly over the course of the story (keep an eye on the gifts under the Christmas tree!). From the cozy Christmas party to the delectable Marzipan Palace, Alison Jay’s artwork is truly enchanting-a snow-globe version of The Nutcracker to read every night before Christmas and all winter long.
Ella Bella Ballerina and the Nutcracker
by James Mayhew
Christmas is coming, and Madame Rosa has prepared a surprise party for her ballet class. “Ella Bella, would you fetch the music box?” asks Madame Rosa. “Then we can have some dancing at our party.” As the music begins playing, little Ella Bella is magically transported into the enchanting, festive world of The Nutcracker ballet. There, she meets the beautiful Clara and her wooden Nutcracker doll. Together, Ella and Clara must fight off the evil Mouse King so they can break the evil spell that has transformed a handsome prince into the Nutcracker doll. When the spell is broken and the prince comes to life, he leads Clara and Ella to a magic forest where they dance to the music of the famous Nutcracker ballet. On the last page of this beautifully illustrated story, young readers learn about the origins of The Nutcracker ballet, its music written in 1892 by the composer Piotr Tchaikovsky for Russia’s famous Imperial Ballet.
Mary Engelbreit’s Nutcracker
by Mary Engelbreit
On Christmas Eve, Marie receives a wooden nutcracker from her beloved uncle. Then something magical happens . . . her toy nutcracker transforms into a handsome prince and whisks Marie off to the fantastical Toyland on a winter adventure she’ll never forget.
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King: The Graphic Novel
by E.T.A. Hoffman
Of all the gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve, only one captures Marie Stahlbaum’s heart: a humble nutcracker.
He’s a curious little man, with kind eyes, sweet red cheeks, and a friendly appearance.
And as midnight nears, he comes to life, revealing a fairy-tale world of magic and wonder, wicked princesses and fierce battles . . . and an ancient curse that can only be broken with the help of a true friend.
The Nutcracker Comes to America
by Chris Barton
Meet Willam, Harold, and Lew Christensen, three small-town Utah boys who caught the ballet bug from an uncle in the early 1900s. They performed alongside elephants and clowns on vaudeville, immersed themselves in the New York City dance scene, and even put on a ballet featuring gangsters at a gas station. Russian immigrants shared the story of The Nutcracker with them, and during World War II―on a shoestring budget and in need of a hit―they staged their own Christmastime production in San Francisco. It was America’s first full-length version and the beginning of a delightful holiday tradition.
Do you have a favorite nutcracker book that didn’t make the list? Let me know in the comments so I can check it out!
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Happy Reading!
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