"When a young girl rescues her nutcracker from an attack by mice, the nutcracker becomes a prince and takes her to see the Snow King and Queen, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and waltzing flowers. Includes reading activities and a word list"--

Relates the story of the popular ballet, in which a little girl travels with the Nutcracker Prince to the Land of Sweets.

How the story was transformed into a ballet and then choreographed and performed by the New York City Ballet. Describes the Tchaikovsky ballet, the Hoffman story on which it was based, and the version staged by Balanchine for the New York City Ballet, as shown through photographs and interviews with some of the dancers.