The Night Before the Nutcracker (American Ballet Theatre)

A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year

“Young balletomanes will clamor to attend a live performance or perhaps aspire to dance themselves.”—Kirkus

“Perfect for sharing with young audience members preparing to see the ballet for the first time, or for those wishing to imagine the wonder from home.”—School Library Journal

“Lovely. . . . The verse text rolls along smoothly in a series of well-worded rhymed couplets. Using color sparingly but effectively, the illustrator creates a sense of music within the scenes and even reveals a backstage secret (the stilts under Mother Ginger’s skirt). An appealing introduction to the ballet.”—Booklist

“It’s a double bill, introducing both the traditional story and the experiences of its child dancers.”—Publishers Weekly

“A Clement C. Moore–inspired rhyming text and lively illustrations offer a tantalizing look at the before, during, and after of “tomorrow’s opening night” for four young dancers. . . . [An] engaging look at the seasonal staple.”—The Horn Book