THE MUTTCRACKER

Will Biff get the part he really wants?

Biff isn’t like the other canines. Don’t expect him to fetch and roll over. He’d prefer to don his leg warmers, head to ballet class with his human, and plie to his heart’s content. When the class learns that they’ll perform The Nutcracker, Biff sets his sights on playing the Sugar Plum Fairy. He wants that sparkling tiara and the dazzling tutu. Sadly, he and his human are cast as bonbons. Biff mopes for days. Even watching dancing on TV doesn’t cheer him up. His human tries to practice alone, but it isn’t nearly as much fun. But at last Biff rallies, and they practice and perfect the dance of the bonbons. On opening night, the Sugar Plum Fairy is sick (too many sugar plums, it seems), so Miss Polly asks Biff to step in. His little human urges him to take his dream part, but Biff shakes his head; he and his human are the best bonbons in the box. Both a sweet friendship tale and an excellent encapsulation of the adage that there are no small parts, Kemp’s addition to the Nutcracker canon is, like Biff, wholly original. Ogilvie’s light, airy illustrations are a strong match for the text, bringing the story to life with grace and a bit of silliness. Biff’s human is pale-skinned; the cast is diverse.

This doggy dancer will warm hearts (and incite a few giggles).