A NUTTY NUTCRACKER CHRISTMAS
by Ralph Covert and G. Riley Mills and illustrated by Wilson Swain
This long and confusing story is based on a children’s musical, and the book comes with a CD with both songs from the musical and a read-along of the text. The plot combines elements of the ballet story with an invented video game starring an evil Mouse King. Fritz is left at home on Christmas Eve after he breaks his sister’s toy Nutcracker. When the Mouse King comes out of the game to ruin Christmas, Fritz is joined by another character, a broken Nutcracker toy who turns into a girl, and together they battle the Mouse King in the Christmas Wood. Swain’s illustrations often must use multiple panels to fit in all the complicated plot twists and turns. Here’s hoping it works as a performance piece, because it sure doesn’t make the grade as a book. (Picture book. 5-8)