The Nutcracker

When Misha and Marie finally go to bed on Christmas Eve, they sleep fitfully and are beset by nightmares. In one particularly bad dream, they join forces — unusual for the squabbling children — and conquer an army that might harm the nutcracker. Their reward is splendid: they are swept to the realm of the Snow Queen for a night of wonders.

James Kudelka, the Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada, is one of North America’s foremost dance artists. His vision of The Nutcracker is elegantly told by Karen Kain and beautifully rendered by artist Rajka Kupesic, herself a ballet dancer.

Misha and Marie are thrilled that Christmas is coming. It’s a frosty night, the neighbors are all invited, and Peter the stable boy is sweeping the barn in preparation for the dancing to come. But there’s a disappointment in store. Instead of the beautiful doll she’d hoped for, the only thing strange old Uncle Nikolai has for Marie is a wooden nutcracker. Marie thinks it’s a wonderful gift. Little does she know that it will lead her and her brother on the adventure of a lifetime.
When Misha and Marie finally go to bed on Christmas Eve, they sleep fitfully and are beset by nightmares. In one particularly bad dream, they join forces — unusual for the squabbling children — and conquer an army that might harm the nutcracker. Their reward is splendid: they are swept to the realm of the Snow Queen for a night of wonders.
James Kudelka, the Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada, is one of North America’s foremost dance artists. His vision of The Nutcracker is elegantly told by Karen Kain and beautifully rendered by artist Rajka Kupesic, herself a ballet dancer.

Susan Hepler, Ph.D. - Children's Literature

Based on the National Ballet of Canada's production of "The Nutcracker" ballet, this story features a dreamlike Russian setting. This less-familiar version has a battle between the stuffed cats and dogs in Marie's toy cupboard and the stable boy, Peter, as the initiators of Marie and her brother Misha's trip to the realm of the Snow Queen. The sumptuous feast comes alive and dances, so that the children do not get to eat it and the whole production ends with flowers as a promise of spring to come before the children awake in their own beds. Kupesic's elegant oil paintings depict elongated characters in a fanciful setting designed with swirls and curls of icy branches and lush frosted puffs of snow on the landscape. It would be helpful for readers less familiar with this tale to have some author's note or provenance setting the story in relation to the more familiar E.T.A. Hoffman's version, but this version stands on its own as a story of dreams in the midst of harsh weather realities. 2005, Tundra Books, Ages 6 to 10.

Karen Kain is an internationally renowned ballerina who became Principal Dancer with the National Ballet of Canada in 1970. During her career, she has performed as a guest artist with most of the world’s best-known ballet companies, and has received many distinguished awards and honors. She has also been involved in several major film and television productions. She is a Companion of the Order of Canada and holds honorary degrees from the University of Toronto along with York, McMaster and Trent Universities. Karen Kain is the Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Rajka Kupesic was classically trained as a ballerina and danced in Europe while developing as a painter. As an artist, she is known for her unique handling of detail, color, and mood, which infuses the familiar with an extraordinary quality. Her paintings have been shown in numerous galleries worldwide and have been featured in magazines in France, Canada, and Japan, and in major collections around the world. Her first book, Claire’s Gift, was awarded the Mr. Christie’s Book Award for Best Children’s Book. Rajka’s illustrations also appeared in Tundra Books’ Maria Chapdelaine which was published in 2004. Rajka Kupesic resides in Toronto with her husband Zlatko and their sons.