Listen As You Read: The Nutcracker

In this musical retelling of The Nutcracker, follow Clara on her magical Christmas adventure by reading the straightforward narrative that describes each scene. Then push the button on each page to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing the music from that scene. As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will hear ten excerpts from the ballet’s music, including “The Waltz of the Flowers,” “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” “The Russian Dance,” and the awesome “Finale.” At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition of The Nutcracker. On the same page, buttons allow you to replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms, and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms. This series of books provides an engaging introduction to classical music.