The Nutcracker

First published in 1844 as Histoire d'un casse-noisette, this tale retells E. T. A. Hoffmann's story for a French audience. On Christmas Eve in Nuremberg, Marie Silberhaus receives a wooden nutcracker from her godfather Drosselmayer; her brother Fritz breaks it. That night Marie sees the nutcracker lead toys against the seven-headed Mouse King. A story within the story explains a curse on a princess and a nephew turned into the doll. After further bargains with the Mouse King, Marie's loyalty restores the nephew Nathaniel. The book is a Christmas fairy tale, not the later ballet scenario alone.

Bound in green textured paper printed and blocked with a colour wrap-around picture. Red and pink endpapers printed in black with a pattern. Red slipcase screen-printed in black with a picture and die-cut on front.