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Just in time for holiday gift-giving or sharing before a fire on a cold December night,  The Nutcracker (with illustrations by Maurice Sendak) is the perfect melding of art and language, a timeless tale enlivened by the images of a gifted artist who captures the essence of childhood in his illustrations: “The most wonderful things can be seen if you have the right sort of eyes for it.”
Written by ETA Hoffmann in 1816, “The Nutcracker” is most widely known for its annual performance by the New York City Ballet since 1954. In illustrating Hoffmann’s tale (translated by Ralph Manheim), when Sendak agreed to design sets and costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Christmas production of the story, he was determined to restore the “weird, dark quality” of the original, the elements that have made it a favorite.
As amply illustrated as in the iconic Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak’s talent for capturing the mythical, otherworldly images with a touch of the Brothers Grimm and his own sly humor is the perfect match for this volume of Nutcracker.
Rich, peculiar and embellished with the wonders of childhood as only Sendak can interpret them, the artist brings his unique perspective to life in a manner that appeals to both adult and child in this whimsical edition. An introduction by Sendak (1984) offers valuable insights into the actual creation of this book from the artist’s quirky perspective, a wonderful bonus for those curious about how such a complex project comes to fruition.
The history of the classic tale and the distinct rendering of images prove to be the perfect pairing of story and illustration.
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Luan Gaines/2012 for curled
up with a good kid's book |
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For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews,
visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)
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