The Nutcracker

by E. T. A. Hoffmann

Overview

E.T.A. Hoffmann’s whimsical novella, originally titled Nutcracker and Mouse King and the inspiration behind Tchaikovsky’s ballet, now has a festive new look in this beautiful edition.

When Maria is given a nutcracker by her mysterious Godfather Drosselmeier, it seems like an ordinary gift. But as the clock strikes midnight on Christmas Eve, she finds her nutcracker embroiled in a fight with a sinister Mouse King—no ordinary toy after all, but a cursed hero. Together, they embark on a fantastical journey, encountering a host of charming characters.

Filled with Christmas magic and festive scenes full of presents, sugarplums, and gingerbread, this imaginative classic has been a part of annual holiday celebrations for generations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665977784
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	09/09/2025
Series:	The Essential Christmas Classics Collection
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	8 - 18 Years

About the Author

E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776–1822) was a writer, composer, and painter. Born in Prussia, he served as a law officer until Napoleon’s invasion, after which he settled in Germany and turned his attention to the arts. He is best remembered for his writings of Romanticism and Gothic Horror, and for his novella originally titled Nutcracker and Mouse King, which later inspired Tchaikovsky’s ballet.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One: Christmas Eve Chapter One Christmas Eve
During the long, long day of the twenty-fourth of December, the children of Dr. Stahlbaum were not permitted to enter the parlor, much less the adjoining drawing room. Frederic and Maria sat nestled together in a corner of the back chamber; dusky twilight had come on, and they felt quite gloomy and fearful, for, as was commonly the case on this day, no light was brought in to them. Fred, in great secrecy, and in a whisper, informed his little sister (she was only just seven years old) that ever since morning, he had heard a rustling and a rattling, and now and then a gentle knocking, in the forbidden chambers. Not long ago also he had seen a little dark man, with a large chest under his arm, gliding softly through the entry, but he knew very well that it was nobody but Godfather Drosselmeier.

Upon this Maria clapped her little hands together for joy, and exclaimed, “Ah, what beautiful things has Godfather Drosselmeier made for us this time?”

Counselor Drosselmeier was not a very handsome man. He was small and thin, he had many wrinkles in his face, over his right eye he had a large black patch, and he was without hair, for which reason he wore a very nice white wig. This was made of glass, however, and was a very ingenious piece of work. The godfather himself was very ingenious also; he understood all about clocks and watches, and could even make them. Accordingly, when any one of the beautiful clocks in Dr. Stahlbaum’s house was sick, and could not sing, Godfather Drosselmeier would have to attend it. He would then take off his glass wig, pull off his brown coat, put on a blue apron, and pierce the clock with sharp-pointed instruments, which usually caused little Maria a great deal of anxiety. But it did the clock no harm; on the contrary, the clock became quite lively again, and began at once right merrily to rattle, and to strike, and to sing, so that it was a pleasure to all who heard it. Whenever he came, he always brought something pretty in his pocket for the children, sometimes a little man who moved his eyes and made a bow, at other times, a box, from which a little bird hopped out when it was opened—sometimes one thing, sometimes another.

When Christmas Eve came, he had always a beautiful piece of work prepared for them, which had cost him a great deal of trouble, and on this account it was always carefully preserved by their parents, after he had given it to them.

“Ah, what beautiful present has Godfather Drosselmeier made for us this time?” exclaimed Maria.

It was Fred’s opinion that this time it could be nothing else than a castle, in which all kinds of fine soldiers marched up and down and went through their exercises; then other soldiers would come, and try to break into the castle, but the soldiers within would fire off their cannon very bravely, until all roared and cracked again.

“No, no,” cried Maria, interrupting him, “Godfather Drosselmeier has told me of a lovely garden where there is a great lake, upon which beautiful swans swim about, with golden collars around their necks, and sing their sweetest songs. Then there comes a little girl out of the garden down along the lake, and coaxes the swans to the shore, and feeds them with sweet cake.”

“Swans never eat cake,” interrupted Fred, somewhat roughly, “and even Godfather Drosselmeier himself can’t make a whole garden. After all, we have little good of his playthings; they are all taken right away from us again. I like what Papa and Mamma give us much better, for we can keep their presents for ourselves, and do as we please with them.”

The children now began once more to guess what it could be this time. Maria thought that Miss Trutchen (her great doll) was growing very old, for she fell almost every moment upon the floor, and more awkwardly than ever, which could not happen without leaving sad marks upon her face, and as to neatness in dress, this was now altogether out of the question with her. Scolding did not help the matter in the least. Frederic declared, on the other hand, that a bay horse was wanting in his stable, and his troops were very deficient in cavalry, as his papa very well knew.

By this time it had become quite dark. Frederic and Maria sat close together and did not venture again to speak a word. It seemed now as if soft wings rustled around them, and very distant but sweet music was heard at intervals. At this moment a shrill sound broke upon their ears—kling, ling, kling, ling—the doors flew wide open, and such a dazzling light broke out from the great chamber that with the loud exclamation, “Ah! Ah!” the children stood fixed at the threshold.

But Papa and Mamma stepped to the door, took them by the hand, and said, “Come, come, dear children, and see what Christmas has brought you this year.”

Table of Contents

	Introduction	ix
	Christmas Eve	1
	The Presents	6
	Marie's Favorite	11
	Strange Happenings	15
	The Battle	27
	Marie's Illness	34
	The Story of the Hard Nut	41
	The Story of the Hard Nut, Continued	47
	The Story of the Hard Nut, Concluded	52
	Uncle and Nephew	60
	Victory	63
	The Land of Dolls	71
	The Capital	76
	Conclusion	95
	Acknowledgments	102

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“For lit nerds and loved ones who are notoriously hard to shop for, you can’t go wrong with these festively bound classics. . . . Their size makes them perfectly stocking-stuffable.” —Entertainment Weekly, “The Must List”
 
“Leave it to the folks at Penguin—who gave us Gothed-out editions of horror classics for Halloween—to package these . . . slim Yuletide-themed volumes.” —Newsday, “Best Books to Give as Holiday Gifts”
 
“Remember how Christmas was celebrated before Black Friday with these 19th-century authors, in small uniform volumes wrapped in pretty jackets.” —USA Today, “Holiday Gift Books So Pretty, No Need to Wrap”
 
“Beautifully designed.” —The Washington Post

Editorial Reviews

According to the introduction, the beloved Yuletide ballet that we see was based on a gentler version of the tale by Alexandre Dumas pere. This version, which differs from the ballet in several ways, is based on Hoffmann's 1816 original and tells a richer tale. Clara and Fritz are delighted with the Christmas gifts of their godfather Drosselmeier, especially the Nutcracker, which Clara cares for even after Fritz breaks its jaw. Clara encounters the Mouse King and his minions not once but twice in dreamlike sequences, and in between, she hears Drosselmeier's stories of "the Hard Nut" and "Why the Nutcracker Is So Ugly." Those intensify her resolve and add layers to the story. The gouache illustrations have a beautiful folktale dreaminess-echoes of Chagall here-as Paschkis borders center images with horror vacui designs in single bright colors. The figures are angular and exaggerated but wonderfully detailed. Paschkis plays with repetitive motifs and silhouetted patterns: Clara's long braid regularly whips out of the picture plane. The accompanying CD by the London Symphony Orchestra contains excerpts from Tchaikovsky's score. Unfortunately, there is no credit given for either the introduction or the retelling itself. (Picture book/folktale. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews