The Nutcracker - Tapa dura

This is a retelling of a beloved Christmas classic, elegantly packaged. It is beautifully illustrated by Eric Puybaret; illustrator of the hugely successful "Puff, the Magic Dragon". This stunning book belongs under every child's Christmas tree! It is aimed at children aged 5 to 12 years old. What a special Christmas gift this will be: the beloved holiday fantasy beautifully retold by John Cech (author of the "Classic Fairy Tale" series) and illustrated by Eric Puybaret, whose imaginative art helped turn "Puff, the Magic Dragon" into a blockbuster. Cech bases his version on E.T.A. Hoffman's original, which features not only the story familiar to all ballet lovers, but other wondrous adventures - including the tale of Princess Pirlipat and an explanation of the origins of the Nutcracker himself. Lavishly and elegantly packaged, this book belongs under every child's tree.

John Cech writes plays, poetry and fiction for both children and adults and is a Professor of English at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He was also President of the Children's Literature Association and won the Chandler Award of Merit for his work in Children's Literature. Eric Puybaret was born in France and graduated from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs in Paris.