The Nutcracker Mice

In this charming holiday tale, a young mouse named Esmeralda, a rising star in the Russian Mouse Ballet Company, is cast in the lead role of Clara for a new Nutcracker ballet. As she prepares for her debut, she faces challenges related to the ballet’s portrayal of mice, while a nine-year-old girl named Irina believes the mice around her are more than just pests—they might be ballet enthusiasts. With the help of Irina, the story weaves together themes of bravery, misunderstood creatures, and holiday magic, complemented by illustrations from Brett Helquist.