It is Christmas Eve, and Clara gets a very special gift--Captain Krak von Nuttenkopf of the Queen's Own Regiment. Captain Krak is a beautifully crafted nutcracker doll, carved out of wood and complete with a scarlet uniform, black boots, and a glittering sword. And then the most glorious adventure begins. Attacked by a ragtag band of rats, the nutcracker comes alive and musters up his toy soldiers. Fighting bravely against the invading rodent hordes, and with some help from Clara's slippers, Captain Krak defeats the Rat King and captures his crown. To celebrate, he takes Clara on a voyage to the magical Land of Sweets. For the Queen of the Land of Sweets is the nutcracker's mother. And lo and behold! Captain Krak is not a nutcracker anymore; he turns into the handsome Prince Krak, and takes Clara's hand, and...
Based on Tchaikovski's popular ballet, this is an enchanting retelling of the classic story. Nicki Palin's highly stylized illustrations, reminiscent of Norman Rockwell's art, create a wonderful, magical world. This is the ideal gift for the millions of children who see theatrical productions of The Nutcracker every year at Christmastime.