Zombelina Dances The Nutcracker

by Kristyn Crow, Molly Idle (Illustrator)

Overview

The charming, dancing zombie brought to life by Caldecott-Honor winning illustrator Molly Idle is back in a Christmas-themed story . . . and this time Zombelina wins the lead in The Nutcracker!

In another rhyming read-aloud tale full of delightful macabre humor Zombelina once again steals the show! This time Zombelina and her friend Lizzie are dancing in The Nutcracker. On the night of the big show, Zombelina is ready, but Grandpa Phantom has other plans for the opera house. Zombelina will need to think fast to save the show, and she'll need Lizzie's help. When best friends work together, the show will go on!

Young dancers and readers will love this family-filled, friendship-inspired picture book that brings Zombelina home for the holidays in another scary-good story!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781619638105
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	09/08/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	20 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

KRISTYN CROW loves to use rhythm, rhyme, and repetition to make reading snappy and fun. Her first book, Cool Daddy Rat, received starred reviews and was named a Blue Ribbon Book by the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Other titles include Bedtime at the Swamp, The Middle-Child Blues, and the forthcoming Skeleton Cat. Kristyn enjoys visiting elementary schools, where she directs eager young readers in a "swamp rhythm symphony" using a variety of percussion instruments. Kristyn is the mother of seven wonderfully creative children, and is married to a policeman, who doubles as a mad scientist/inventor. She lives in Layton, Utah.
www.kristyncrow.com

MOLLY IDLE is the Caldecott-Honor winning author and illustrator of Flora and the Flamingo and its sequel Flora and the Penguin as well as Tea Rex, Camp Rex, and Zombelina. Molly worked at DreamWorks Feature Animation Studios for five years before turning to book illustration full-time. When not making mischief with her boys or watching old Technicolor musicals, she can be found at her desk scribbling away, with a pencil in one hand and a cup of espresso in the other. She now lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her family and two snugly cats.
www.idleillustration.com
@MollyIdle
KRISTYN CROW loves to use rhythm, rhyme, and repetition to make reading snappy and fun. Her first book, Cool Daddy Rat, received starred reviews and was named a Blue Ribbon Book by the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Other titles include Bedtime at the Swamp, The Middle-Child Blues, and Skeleton Cat. Kristyn enjoys visiting elementary schools, where she directs eager young readers in a "swamp rhythm symphony" using a variety of percussion instruments. Kristyn is the mother of seven wonderfully creative children, and is married to a policeman, who doubles as a mad scientist/inventor. She lives in Layton, Utah.
www.kristyncrow.com
MOLLY IDLE is the Caldecott-Honor winning author and illustrator of Flora and the Flamingo and Flora and the Penguin, as well as Tea Rex and Camp Rex. She is also the illustrator of the Zombelina books. Molly worked at DreamWorks Feature Animation Studios for five years before turning to book illustration full-time. When not making mischief with her boys or watching old Technicolor musicals, she can be found at her desk scribbling away, with a pencil in one hand and a cup of espresso in the other. She now lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her family and two snuggly cats.
www.idleillustration.com
@MollyIdle

Editorial Reviews

09/14/2015
The undead heroine of Zombelina (2013) returns to dance The Nutcracker, but her ghostly grandfather’s tricks threaten to upend the performance, even after Zombelina snags the role of Clara. Zombelina is a wonderful dancer, but it’s really Idle who’s superbe—few others could make running jokes about detached limbs look this graceful. Crow’s rhymes offer a similar blend of playfulness and gross-out humor (during the dance performance, a friend steps into Zombelina’s shoes—and more—while the young zombie deals with her grandfather’s pranks: “ ‘Tuck in your legs, and let mine dance the show/ With Clara’s long nightgown, they won’t even know!’/ Lizzie looks squeamish, but nods an okay./ ‘I’ve heard “break a leg,” but... never this way.’ ” It’s a satisfyingly creepy alternative to more traditional Nutcracker tales. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Kendra Marcus, Bookstop Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

There are some funny zombie-themed jokes woven into the story, and Zombelina is an intriguing character. . . Fans of both paranormal characters and ballet will like this.” —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

10/01/2015
Gr 2–4—It had to happen: The Phantom of the Opera meets The Nutcracker in a new picture book with playful illustrations by Idle. The Clara in this performance is a zombie who not only dances the feature role but also must foil Grandpa Phantom's plan to shut down the show. Told in rhymes, the puns and spooky antics are chuckle-worthy, if a little forced. VERDICT A zany alternative for children who prefer the gently macabre over more treacly Christmas fare.—Virginia Walter Graduate School of Education and Information Studies

School Library Journal

2015-08-12
Young Zombelina wins the part of Clara in The Nutcracker, but her Grandpa Phantom causes problems during a performance. Zombelina is the only zombie girl in the cast of The Nutcracker. Her best friend, Lizzie, is cast in the chorus, but the girls support each other and remain friends. Zombelina's grandfather haunts the theater, and during a performance he alters the lighting so the bones of all the dancers show through their costumes. It's not clear what the exact paranormal effect is here—magical paralysis? Temporary electrocution? Only Grandpa Phantom knows for sure. Zombelina asks Lizzie to take over her part so the young zombie can deal with her grandfather backstage. The switch is effected by Zombelina's actual removal of her legs, which she lends to Lizzie for the rest of the performance. Lizzie is supposed to tuck her legs up in her costume and dance on Zombelina's legs, but the mechanics of this switch aren't clear or believable. The performance ends with Zombelina back on stage with the cast for a standing ovation—and one of Zombelina's legs on the loose. There are some funny zombie-themed jokes woven into the story, and Zombelina is an intriguing character, but there are too many leaps in logic in the plot. Colored-pencil illustrations give the green-faced Zombelina personality, and Idle does a fine job with the ballet positions and complex stage scenes. Fans of both paranormal characters and ballet will like this; others should stick with a traditional interpretation of the holiday classic. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews